Background
In Ohio, one in 25 adults is in prison, in jail, on probation, or on parole, ranking behind only
Georgia, Idaho, the District of Columbia, Texas and Massachusetts; in 1982, this figure was
one in 1163 . Montgomery County residents constitute approximately 5.22% of all
commitments to an Ohio prison. At the time of incarceration, 42% of inmates from
Montgomery County lacked a high school diploma or a General Education Degree (GED),
54% were unemployed, 40% abused alcohol, and 75% abused other drugs. It is safe to
assume that these challenges create continuing barriers post-incarceration. Even those who
do not return to prison are often condemned to live life on the margins of society. Given the
significant obstacles faced by these individuals, most returning citizens returning to THE
Miami Valley RegionMontgomery County are in need of assistance in order to re-establish
themselves as productive citizens in our community.
Each year, roughly 1,500 people from Montgomery County are released from prison.
Roughly 30% of these ultimately return to prison, often due to the commission of new
crimes. Montgomery Country Reentry leaders note a real obstacle for nearly all of these is
the dearth of work opportunities. In fact, over 600 barriers in Ohio law restrict employment
opportunities for people with criminal records. This is a problem because stable employment
and livable wages are important predictors of successful reentry and desistance from crime.
Employment saves taxpayer dollars on prisons and public benefits.
Vision
Being a formerly incarcerated individual does not define who a person was, is, or will be.
The vision of X FACTOR is to create a national model for the reintegration experience of
formerly incarcerated people. Allowing people with records to earn an honest second chance
is a key element of the vision of X FACTOR. Integrating humanity and compassion in the
daily lives of returning citizens is an elementary component of the organization. People are
not defined by the fact that they have served time. X FACTOR defines all individuals by
their humanity and contributions to the common good.
