Fall 2024 Winner of the Moving Forward Scholarship

Ladji Akil Ruffin

Ladji is a third-year student at Mercer University in Macon, Georgia. As someone who has been through the criminal justice system, Ladji has first-hand knowledge of the many areas that need improvement. We are proud of the tremendous progress Ladji has made and wish him well as he begins his final semester of college.

Read Ladji’s Essay:

I am pursuing my Bachelor of Science degree in Criminal Justice leadership at Mercer University. I have been impacted by my own family and community, where I witnessed the justice system tear them apart and the families. Justice for me is to have equitable access to resources to help people come out of the criminal justice system successfully. The criminal justice system is designed to punish and bring justice to people who broke the law and the victims. I feel it should take it further, making sure that the person who broke the law is given the opportunity to change and become successful. In return, it makes the community safer. In the following few paragraphs, I will be explaining the work I am doing and some of my goals.

I work with people who come out of the criminal justice system with mental health illnesses, substance use disorders, intellectual disabilities, blind, and visually impaired. I work with these groups of people because they are the most vulnerable populations that go to prison. Prison is not designed to give them the support they need. I am pursuing a degree in criminal justice leadership. My goal is to create programs that will help people who have disabilities be successful. Going out and doing the work, plus going to college, will give me a firm foundation to have support and the knowledge to create programs.

I am a braille, transcribe, and producer of books for the visually impaired and blind. I feel people who are blind need the materials to help them in school to further their education. Everyone has the right to have equal access to services to thrive in this society. Education will help anyone obtain a job with a liveable wage to provide for themselves. If a person can provide for themselves, they will not need supportive services from the government. My goal is to not only create a program but also to provide a space for blind and visually impaired people to have a safe place to thrive. Learning braille and transcribing books is allowing me to create a product that will assist blind and visually impaired people in seeking higher education.

I go into prisons to help with a reentry plan with the person in prison. We do not call them inmates or offenders but returning citizens. Words hurt, and it is best to use first-person-centered language. The goal is to have the returning citizens come up with their reentry plan, and then my job is to search for resources that will help them in a successful transition. My goal is to give a voice and seek solutions from people who have been through the criminal justice system. When you look at people or organizations that are trying to solve the high incarceration rate, most of them have never seen the inside of a prison or jail cell. I am not saying people who have never been incarcerated have no value. I am just saying we should include more people in the conversation who have been through the criminal justice system. Going into the prison system and sitting down with people and getting their perspectives on things will be vital for me to get the answers I need.

Family is essential in a person's life transitioning from the criminal justice system. Many returning citizens are returning to toxic, unstable, or fewer resources communities. I develop programs that will address the issues and help the family be put on a healing pathway. If returning citizens have a robust support system, they will succeed. I feel that in order for a person to be whole, the person's family must be healthy. Taking leadership courses and parenting classes have given me insight and will give me much more as I complete these programs.

I have the opportunity to not only pursue higher education but gain access to programs that will help people whom the criminal justice system has negatively impacted. Working so closely with people coming out of the criminal justice system is giving me a lot of tools I need to create more programs and advocate as well. Being an advocate is enormous because I can talk with lawmakers and policymakers to help change their negative perceptions of people who break the law. It also gives a clear path for people to get their lives back on track. Gain access to mental health and substance use treatment centers and programs. Giving them a chance to rent anywhere they like to live and having access to education as well. When you look at some universities, they have the question of whether they have been convicted of a crime. I have listed my goals to learn and create positive change to create a new, more just world.

Moving forward is very important in my life. After 23 years in prison, I understood that education and entrepreneurship were going to be the path for me to gain a better life. I have been out of prison for eight years now. After five years, I was able to get my life sentence commuted by the parole board. I was able to vote for the first time, which was an honor. I got my passport and was able to travel out of the country for the first time. I am the first person who worked in state government, and the job was designed for a person who has been through the criminal justice system. Now, I can go to prisons, jails, and probation centers, giving hope and encouragement to men and women that they can change for the better and create their path to success. Being accepted by Mercer University shows people who have been justice-impacted that they can gain access to a major university and use it to move forward in their life.