Hope for Prisoners suspends most of its Nevada prison programs as founder Jon Ponder faces sexual abuse charges

What happened

Hope for Prisoners, a Las Vegas prison reentry nonprofit, has suspended most of its programming with the Nevada Department of Corrections, the state agency told the Las Vegas Review-Journal. The pause follows the arrest and indictment of the group's founder, Jon Ponder, on allegations that he sexually abused female inmates.

The suspension is a shift from the nonprofit's public stance less than two months ago. After Ponder's Aug. 18 arrest by the Metropolitan Police Department, the group said, "The need for second chances has not changed, and neither has our dedication to meeting it," the Review-Journal reported. At that time it placed Ponder on administrative leave.

The case against the founder

Arrest and indictment

Metro first arrested Ponder on suspicion of nine felonies and 11 gross misdemeanors, including sexual assault, according to the Review-Journal. He was indicted in late September on additional charges after more accusers and allegations came forward.

In the arrest report, Metro detectives wrote that Ponder used his relationship with the corrections department and his position of authority to target female inmates at the Jean Conservation Camp and the Casa Grande Transitional Housing Center. Detectives wrote that those targeted included mothers trying to keep custody of their children. The allegations have not been proven in court.

Federal lawsuit and lost supporters

On Oct. 29, one of the alleged victims filed a federal lawsuit against Ponder, Hope for Prisoners and the state corrections department. The suit alleges that Ponder groomed the woman and abused her at the nonprofit's Las Vegas headquarters, and that prison administrators and the nonprofit's board failed to act on complaints about his conduct.

Several organizations had already distanced themselves from the group, the Review-Journal reported. They include the Engelstad Foundation, Kenneth Copeland Ministries and the Woodson Center.

What the corrections department says

Responding to the lawsuit, a department spokesperson said Ponder had limited access equal to that of other contract employees. "The Nevada Department of Corrections maintains strict policies and procedures governing visitors to its facilities," spokesperson Teri Vance said.

The department did not answer the Review-Journal's questions about how many programs Hope for Prisoners ran in state facilities or how it plans to make up for the lost programming.

Why reentry programs matter for parole

Help finding jobs and housing

Alexandra Nur, an assistant professor of criminal justice at UNLV, told the Review-Journal that reentry programs teach skills that make the move from prison back into the community easier. She said people with a history of incarceration often struggle to find housing and work, and that some Hope for Prisoners programs focused on job matching and reentry planning, including connecting people to sobriety and mental health resources.

Parole decisions and costs

Nur said parole boards look at program participation to judge rehabilitation. Under the Nevada Parole Recidivism Risk and Crime Severity Guidelines, completing programs can signal a lower risk of reoffending. "This may harm parole chances for hundreds of incarcerated Nevadans," Nur said, adding that fewer program slots could lead to longer prison stays.

Nur also said longer stays could raise state spending on housing and detention. She said she hoped other options would be available if Hope for Prisoners can no longer provide programming. More coverage is on our public safety page.

What to watch next

• The criminal case against Ponder, who was indicted in late September on additional charges.
• The federal lawsuit filed Oct. 29 against Ponder, Hope for Prisoners and the Nevada Department of Corrections.
• Whether the corrections department explains how it will replace the suspended programs. It did not answer that question for the Review-Journal.