"Police are trained to pull a gun. We need people trained to deal with people in crisis. And we know it works because we’ve done it on the inside," say the brothers, who are Certified Peer Specialists and Wellness Recovery and Action Plan facilitators.

Hammett considers himself a “credible messenger” who reentering citizens can relate to because he has been through the system and has navigated life in both worlds.

In the first installment of our February editorial calendar topic, guest columnist Dr. Nikia Owens highlights three unsung community heroes whose work makes a tremendous difference in the lives of returning citizens in Philadelphia.

That belief is the backbone of HipHopPsychoEd, the free therapeutic town halls that Crawford hosts.

Announcement of the creation of the office coincides with release of the “Philadelphia’s Reentry Services Landscape” report from the Philadelphia Reentry Coalition,