The association eran, eraus... an elo? – inside, outside... and what now? – advocates for the rights of people deprived of their liberty and supports them before, during, and after their time in prison. Because reintegration after incarceration remains a major challenge, as one former prisoner explains.
The association was officially launched in 2020. Its founding members, drawing on their own experience of the justice and prison system, set out to address the dysfunctions they had observed. Their work does not stop at the moment of release: they assist people before, during, and after imprisonment by helping with legal, administrative, and practical questions.
Christian Richartz, who works for the association, explained that their support often involves very practical assistance. “We don’t have psychologists or any therapeutic training”, he said.
Richartz explained further: “Sometimes it’s simply about sending a letter, contacting a landlord, or arranging an appointment. We then go to the prison to collect the person, take them to the appointment, and bring them back. These are very simple things which are far more difficult to organise inside prison than outside.”
Most detainees contact the association shortly before their release. Although this moment is usually long awaited, it often comes with numerous difficulties. Patrick*, a former prisoner, experienced this first-hand: “You’re released, but there’s no real support. You’re simply let out”.
He added: “You have no accommodation, no money, and no resources. And once you’re outside, applying for a job is almost impossible, you can hardly begin by saying, ‘I’ve just come out of prison’. No one is going to welcome you with open arms.”
The association does not have its own premises or offices, but it relies on a strong network of contacts, which proves invaluable in helping former prisoners. It also works to raise public awareness of the challenges faced by people leaving prison across a range of platforms.
Gregory Fonseca, president of the association, said the aim is to ensure that people leaving prison can find their place in society. The goal, he explained, is that they do not leave carrying the same burdens they had before incarceration, made even heavier by their time in prison.
*This person spoke anonymously. The name has been changed by the editorial team.
