At the age of 20, Randolph Wilson was sentenced to life in prison in a case built entirely on hearsay. Three co-defendants, who testified against him, later recanted their testimony saying they'd been coerced by the local sheriff. After 33 years behind the wall, Randolph Wilson is a free man. This is his story.

In 2023, Judy Van Wyk and April Barber partnered to create a podcast about the many issues people face when transitioning from prison. Van Wyk is a longtime video producer and criminal justice advocate. April Barber received a life sentence when she was 15. After more than 31 years, she had her sentence commuted by Governor Cooper. She was released March 24, 2022.

Lyle May received a death sentence in 1999. Since that time, he's found God, gotten sober, and has devoted himself to a life of scholarship and reflection.

This is Episode 3 of April's special series On a Mission with A Purpose, in which she interviews people who are living with meaning and purpose despite their particular circumstance.

Stay Tuned for the Fourth Season of The 98% - Life After Prison coming in January.

In 2023, Judy Van Wyk and April Barber partnered to create a podcast about the many issues people face when transitioning from prison. Van Wyk is a longtime video producer and criminal justice advocate. April Barber received a life sentence when she was 15. After more than 31 years, she had her sentence commuted by Governor Cooper. She was released March 24, 2022.

Formerly incarcerated people face a number of barriers as they try to rebuild their lives after prison. One big one is employment. In this episode, we learn about one company that's made a commitment to providing a second chance and find out what can happen when justice-involved people are given an opportunity.

In 2023, Judy Van Wyk and April Barber partnered to create a podcast about the many issues people face when transitioning from prison. Van Wyk is a longtime video producer and criminal justice advocate. April Barber received a life sentence when she was 15. After more than 31 years, she had her sentence commuted by Governor Cooper. She was released March 24, 2022.

Over the past 20 years, North Carolina’s Legislature has increased court and criminal fees by 400 percent. A good percentage of that money is disbursed to the state’s General Fund, not allocated to the courts, which remain grossly underfunded. In this episode, we learn how court-imposed fees lock people in a cycle of debt and can lead to additional monetary sanctions, driver’s license revocation, probation extension, and jail time.

In 2023, Judy Van Wyk and April Barber partnered to create a podcast about the many issues people face when transitioning from prison. Van Wyk is a longtime video producer and criminal justice advocate. April Barber received a life sentence when she was 15. After more than 31 years, she had her sentence commuted by Governor Cooper. She was released March 24, 2022.

With so much focus on the mass incarceration of men, we often overlook the fact the number of incarcerated women stands almost seven times higher today than it did in 1980. Bianca Harris has watched the rise since she began her career in corrections in 1993. After more than 20 years at North Carolina's largest women’s prison, she has a lot to say about how incarcerated women should be handled.

In 2023, Judy Van Wyk and April Barber partnered to create a podcast about the many issues people face when transitioning from prison. Van Wyk is a longtime video producer and criminal justice advocate. April Barber received a life sentence when she was 15. After more than 31 years, she had her sentence commuted by Governor Cooper. She was released March 24, 2022.

Edward Scott believes having difficult conversations with his loved ones is part of what it takes to be strong person and a good father. He invited us to listen in to the conversation he had with his grown son Terrell about what it was like to grow up without him because he was incarcerated.

In 2023, Judy Van Wyk and April Barber partnered to create a podcast about the many issues people face when transitioning from prison. Van Wyk is a longtime video producer and criminal justice advocate. April Barber received a life sentence when she was 15. After more than 31 years, she had her sentence commuted by Governor Cooper. She was released March 24, 2022.

On a Mission With a Purpose is a series of interviews conducted by April Barber Scales.

Felishia McPherson describes how the lack of cultural understanding she experienced with mental health therapists in prison sent her on a mission to become a mental health counselor herself. Today she is Licensed counselo and a Peer Support Specialist specializing in Reentry and Domestic Violence. She also serves on the executive board of Nami - The National Alliance of Mental Illness.

In 2023, Judy Van Wyk and April Barber partnered to create a podcast about the many issues people face when transitioning from prison. Van Wyk is a longtime video producer and criminal justice advocate. April Barber received a life sentence when she was 15. After more than 31 years, she had her sentence commuted by Governor Cooper. She was released March 24, 2022.

With a shortage of mental health services in this country, prisons and jails have become a dumping ground for people with mental illness including people with conditions like schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. Too often these conditions go untreated and people are released back into the community with no support. Learn how Fit Wellness takes a holistic approach to treating formerly incarcerated people with serious mental illness, in an effort to break the cycle between crisis and incarceration.

In 2023, Judy Van Wyk and April Barber partnered to create a podcast about the many issues people face when transitioning from prison. Van Wyk is a longtime video producer and criminal justice advocate. April Barber received a life sentence when she was 15. After more than 31 years, she had her sentence commuted by Governor Cooper. She was released March 24, 2022.