Pacers, how residents benefit from visiting Putnamville prison – The Athletic

PUTNAMVILLE, Ind. – Travion Qualls, a 25-year-old resident of the Putnamville Correctional Facility 48 miles west of Indianapolis, could never have imagined a day like this, not after his life passed and he he ended up here, serving a six – sentence five for participating in a gas station robbery – he will be released after two years. After losing his hoops scholarship to Manchester College (Ind.) And ending up here, surviving the long days and nights of prison life, Qualls has just put on a show of dominance, Jordan-esque for Indiana Pacers.

That’s right, the Indiana Pacers, made up mostly of the players and some of the office workers, who made the roughly one-hour bus trip from Indianapolis to this shabby part of the Midwest to visit, work. work and listen to prison residents as part of a number of programs. The Pacers have partnered with Representative Justice, The Last Mile, the Coalition Against Recidivism, and the Indiana Department of Corrections to participate in the Play for Justice program, which is designed to raise awareness of racial disparities and socioeconomic status in the judicial system. These events were organized with Lakers, King, Shove and Cavaliers.

Earlier in the day, the Pacers sat outdoors in a large circle with a number of residents – the proper term being residents and not prisoners, prisoners or convicts – during an hour-long roundtable conference. lake, everyone turns to microphones, players and residents alike tell their stories and speak to the power of the moment.

Then there’s the game, in which the Qualls light up the indoor yard.