Welcome home Joe! After 40 years of incarceration, Joe Daigle was granted parole on July 19 and became the 300th client released to Parole Project. Our model is designed to assist men and women who have served long prison sentences and are returning to a world they do not recognize. Joe, like the 299 clients who came before him, is rebuilding his life and reaching his full potential through transitional housing, reentry programming, support services, and mentoring provided by Parole Project.
We advocated for Joe through his clemency and parole processes and he is truly grateful. “I am here, free, because Parole Project stood with me all the way,” he said. “Now they are helping me learn how to find my way in the world again.” Joe is looking forward to spending time with his family who supported him throughout his incarceration.
For the last 20 years of his incarceration, Joe worked for four different governors—Foster, Blanco, Jindal, and Edwards. Earlier this year, Gov. Edwards commuted his sentence after a favorable recommendation from the Board of Pardons and Parole and he was subsequently released on parole. Joe said he will miss working for the Edwards family, who taught him true humility and gave him hope.
Joe joins the growing ranks of Parole Project clients, including several members of our staff, who have demonstrated they are worthy of redemption, and just how far they can go when given a second chance.
