A TikTok posted by South Carolina Legal Services shows just how difficult it is for formerly incarcerated people to successfully re-enter life.
South Carolina Legal Services is a nonprofit law firm that provides legal assistance to low-income populations in South Carolina.
In the two-part video from the organization’s TikTok, @sclegalservices, marketing and communications manager Sally Ingles participated among other individuals in a simulation mirroring the everyday struggles of people recently released from imprisonment.
The point of the “game” was to show the hardships those released from incarceration face when attempting to integrate back into society.
“We were all given a persona of a person reentering society and the long list of things we needed to accomplish,” Ingles said in the video.
@sclegalservices Watch me fail miserably at re-entering society as a previously incarcerated individual. This simulation was TOUGH! Even with a checklist of things I needed to get done each round, I struggled to get it all done. #fyp #reentry #reentrymatters #reenteringsociety #previouslyincarcerated #reentryprogram #simulation #secondchance #secondchances ♬ Living in a Haze (Instrumental) – Milky Chance
At the first step of the game, Ingles is already faced with an obstacle. In order to meet with a probation officer, the player must have three forms of I.D., and they only have one.
As the simulation unfolds, participants partake in activities signifying job applications, drug tests, and other mundane tasks like going to the bank or grocery shopping.
“Wild cards” are also given out to represent unforeseen expenses, like having to spend $50 for a child’s birthday or having one’s wallet and identification stolen.
“I actually did get some food this week which was good,” Ingles said in the video, explaining how in the game setup, she did not have much money for basic needs or surviving in general.
Participants completed rounds of tasks and tried not to end up back in confinement.
“After that last round we came back together as a group to talk about what we had learned and just reflect on how difficult the system is for those needing to re-enter society after being incarcerated,” Ingles said in the video. “And, that there’s not a lot of guidance out there.”
Commenters pointed out other factors not included in the demonstration that can take a great toll on someone coming back to their community.
“This doesn’t even account for mental health and addiction recovery support,” user @samm.justine commented, “But a great simplification of a system we should have more awareness of.”
According to the Prison Policy Initiative, South Carolina has an incarceration rate of 678 per 100,000 people, compared to the U.S. rate of 664 per 100,000 people. A report by ABC News 4 in 2021 stated South Carolina has reached a recidivism rate of 21.9%.
An inability to vote, trouble seeking employment, and ineligibility for public housing are just a few of the obstacles formerly incarcerated individuals face when reentering society.
Other users agreed the simulation was effective in bringing awareness to the issue.
“As a public worker is social… this is amazing,” @jess_ruoff commented, “All of the obstacles my clients face daily. All DA’s and judges need to do this.”
In an email correspondence with the Daily Dot, Ingles said the simulation took place during a conference in Myrtle Beach organized by the South Carolina Association for Community Economic Development.
“By experiencing firsthand the realities and challenges of re-entry, participants gained an understanding of new perspectives and discovered innovative ways to help these individuals succeed,” Ingles said.
Ingles, astonished at the positive and educational reach the TikTok has achieved, expressed she wanted to share the experience online because of how eye-opening it was for her.
“I started our organization’s TikTok page a year ago with the intention of spreading information and showcasing barriers to justice that exist for vulnerable populations,” Ingles said. “I knew the re-entry simulation would showcase the barriers of justice-involved individuals and wanted to give people an opportunity to follow my experience walking a mile in someone else’s shoes.”
