When Winard Eady was released from federal prison in November 2019, he vowed not to return to the lifestyle that put him behind bars for eight years. Like most people who’ve been incarcerated, however, he struggled to find his footing on the outside. “I came home with the sense that I wanted to do different,” says the Wadmalaw Island native, who was sentenced to 10 years for his role in a string of business robberies. “But as soon as the world hits, your mind changes.” The numbers prove as much: Two-thirds of people released from prison are rearrested within three years, according to the Justice Department. After nine years, that number climbs to 83 percent.
