An appeal to perpetrators of crime: I’ve taught sound spiritual judgment through the Probation Challenge Program!

 

To the many ex-offenders that listened to what was declared sound judgment as clients of the Probation Challenge Program, again I appeal to your mentalities and others: Stop the insanities in the community! There is a solution! – Rev. Harold E. Bailey

 

By Rev. Harold E. Bailey

 

Since 1979, working out of the courtroom of Justice R. Eugene Pincham at 26^th & California, I labored diligently with the probationers who were assigned to that court. The late Mayor Harold Washington noted my successful struggle with the program and had his office staff to contact me. The mayor suggested that I consider moving the program to Olive-Harvey College campus, 10001 S. Woodlawn Ave., so that I could broaden my efforts in working with youth… I agreed.

On the Olive-Harvey College campus, our training and programs transformed thousands of youth and renewed their minds through the vehicle of education. God’s work was perfected in many great ways, and the community was spared as to the havoc these many youth could have inflicted upon them.

Probation Challenge had a plan and that plan worked quite well – despite the objections of those who then sat in positions of authority at City Colleges of Chicago.

We were never wanted nor appreciated while housed on Olive Harvey College campus, and as one administrator stated, ‘Those people are beneath the dignity of the campus.’ However, by the grace of God, our work spoke for itself – loud and clear! Probation Challenge was applauded around the world, and we got rave reviews through print media, radio and television.

To the many ex-offenders that listened to what was then declared in that school as sound judgment, today I appeal to your mentalities and others : Stop the insanities in the community! And if it’s not  you, you are perhaps acquainted with who the true perpetrators are! Talk to the killers, shooters and others who are a manic to society. Talk to your peers just as I’ve ministered to you. You have a peer group and they will listen to you before adhering to my voice…I’m no longer in a place to be heard and the enemy well knows of my absence from you!

Listen-up! Pass the word on: Stop the Killing and Violence Now! Avoid the pitfalls that are designed with you in mind. Downstate is waiting as their bowels of jails and prisons are willing to swell to accommodate violators of the law. Wise up Now…before it’s too late!

You remember when the powers-that-be said that Probation Challenge students would not listen, nor would they turn from the errors of their ways – but they did! This was an embarrassment to those who sought their termination from society and the program. Remember when these same societal rejects went on to colleges and universities and received in many cases grants and scholarships? They never returned back into the criminal justice system.

Our formula: A large dose of prescribed book educational learning with a much larger dose of day-to-day applicable common sense. The program’s clients agreed with the Probation Challenge mythology, and their hearts received the seeds planted.

 

A Viable Solution: The Illinois Probation Challenge Act 

 

The Probation Challenge Act, as set-forth via the Illinois State Statue, indicated that if a student missed one day of class they could go to jail for seven days. After the fourth miss, the client could go to jail. Most clients never had to go to jail for not cracking the books and going on to greater learning. Education is not a key – it is The Key!

The Probation Challenge Act was undergirded by the late Mayor Harold Washington, State Senator Howard Brookins, Sr., Carol Moseley Braun, Justice R. Eugene Pincham, the then Black Caucus and the Rev. Harold E. Bailey who created the program and its ideology.

 

Rev. Harold E. Bailey is Founder and President of Probation Challenge, The PCC Internet Broadcast Network…WWW.Probationchallenge.org, ‘The Truth Network’