‘When you strip away the jumpsuit, you restore dignity': Denver jail launches in-person visitation clothing project

Yahoo

02-05-2025

DENVER (KDVR) — On Thursday, the Denver Sheriff's Department launched a new program aimed to humanize those incarcerated.
In May 2024, Denver County Sheriff's Department brought back in-person visitation to the county jail, and a year later, they're taking it a step further and launching something new: A clothing project that allows those in custody to wear everyday street clothes for visits.
Sheriff Elias Diggins says the goal is to humanize the inmates and not further traumatize family members.
'Today is a momentous occasion for the Denver Sheriff's Department as we embark on something that is not being done at any jail in the country,' Diggins said addressing the media on Thursday.
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Inmates at the county jail will have the choice of non-institutional everyday clothes during visitations starting Thursday. The design of the visitation room is creating a welcoming environment for reconnection. The mural on the north wall reading 'Heal the past, live the present and dream the future.'
'We want something that's going to help bring emotions in a space of connection while they're here. When you look at the beautiful doves, and the faces and the words that are on the wall and the flower and the seed that's planted and that seed we are planting here is the seed of hope, the seed of dignity and humanity.' Diggins said.
The idea came to the sheriff after last year's ribbon cutting on their in-person visitations and watching the documentary 'Daughters,' where a similar program is highlighted. He also draws on his own experiences, his father once an inmate here.
'Coming into a stark, white room like most contact visits spaces are in jails with a bleak environment and seeing your parent come out in an inmate uniform is something that you never get out of your mind,' Diggins said. 'So, if we want to bring families together, and we want to reduce the trauma that families have by their incarnation experience, because families are doing time as well, why not?'
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Denver Councilwoman Shontel Lewis facilitated the partnership with Goodwill to provide the clothing, creating no additional costs for the department.
She is also calling on her own experience stating she was once jailed, and Goodwill took a chance to hire her.
'In the lowest moment I made a poor decision, I took money from my employer, and I paid dearly for it.' Lewis said. 'They took a chance on me when no one else would and the chance gave me an opportunity to rebuild, to grow and to serve.'
Lewis serves the area encompassing the jail and says with her experience she knows what a visitation space like this could mean for rehabilitation.
'When you strip away the jumpsuit, you restore dignity. When a parent can see their child or a loved one can hold a hand without that layer of shame you begin to heal something deeper.' Lewis said.
They believe this will have a direct effect on these individuals' experiences once they're released. Potentially giving them the reasoning to not re-commit crimes.
'When they leave, we hope that they remember these experiences and how they were treated and knowing that they were not punished while they were here. The depredation of their freedom was their punishment.' Diggins said.
DSP says they will be gathering data on the program's success and any recommitted crimes from participants. In-person visitations are only offered to individuals housed at the Denver County Jail.
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