Reducing Recidivism through Restorative Justice

Charles Grady is the founder of Hang Time and a highly decorated former police detective and federal task force officer for the Connecticut State Police Narcotics Unit, DEA and FBI joint task force. Grady created and launched the grassroots effort to foster community and give voice to men and women (ex-offenders/returning citizens)who have been silent—or unheard—for far too long in his community. What has since become Hang Time targets those involved with gang/group violence and those that inherently suffer from Post-Traumatic & Present Stress Disorder (PTSD) resulting from urban gun violence.

Dr. Vesna Markovic completed her Ph.D. in criminal justice in 2009. After many years at the Institute for the Study of Violent Groups, where she conducted research on terrorism, she transitioned into teaching at a university in Connecticut. Her work in the field eventually led her to meet Charlie, which sparked her involvement in Hang Time. While living in Connecticut, she attended the Tuesday meetings in Bridgeport for years. She has since moved to Chicago to teach at Lewis University, where she is now a full professor and Department Chair. It was at Lewis that she delivered a TEDx Talk about the Connecticut Hall of Change, an initiative that grew directly out of Hang Time. Dr. Markovic remains connected to the program from Chicago and continues her collaboration with Charlie on various related projects. She also teaches for Lewis University in their prison education program, working with incarcerated students at the Sheridan Correctional Center and Kewanee Life Skills Re-Entry Center.