Attorney Robert Thomas, of Andersen, Tate & Carr, spoke to the group in his capacity as a member of the Advisory Board of the Gwinnett Reentry Intervention Program (GRIP) on Monday, November 9.  He opened with statistics about the recidivism rate in Georgia and in Gwinnett County, pointing out that 1 in 13 in Georgia come under some kind of state control and  that 2/3 of those arrested are  re-arrested and 50% of those re-incarcerated.  Inmates  cost $48/day, resulting in a $50.8 million cost to the County. He talked about who is being incarcerated:  50% of men and 85% of women being non-violent offenders.   These statistics explain why GRIP was created.  He showed a video entitled “David’s Story” which focused on one successful case and showed how the system works.  The cycle GRIP tries to defeat is arrest, release, homelessness, desperation, and re-arrest. GRIP attempts to break that cycle by providing help in re-assimilating into the community with a job and a place to live for those who express a desire to participate in the program.  He believes the program is working.  A sure sign of success is a 68% reduction in recidivism in the County for those that are not mental patients.