The Hernando County Sheriff’s Office has inaugurated a program that aims to curb recidivism for prisoners who are released from jail. Project Restart is a joint venture between CareerSource Pasco/Hernando and the Hernando County Detention Center.
According to Major Michael Page, Detention Center Administrator, “People being released from jails and prisons, recidivate far too frequently. This is attributable to a lack of follow-up programs in the community that were started while the offender was incarcerated.”
Page continues. “Many return to behavior that results in new arrests because there are no support programs and often because the offender goes right back to the same address, with the same family and acquaintances, exposed to the same bad habits with no input from positive role models. This program provides the basis for successful re-entry by providing both employment opportunities and follow-up support.”
Similar programs in other states have been shown to increase the chances that once someone is released from a detention center or prison their odds of being successful in their lives increase tremendously.
Funded by a two-year $500,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Labor, Project Restart works with men and women who have been incarcerated for nonviolent crimes and who are serving relatively short terms.
These crimes include drug and/or driving violations and fraud. Those who have a drug or alcohol abuse problem must be involved in some type of substance abuse program in order to qualify for Project Restart.
Sheriff Al Nienhuis states, “The inmates in this program already have some skills. Inmates are chosen by their willingness to participate, the length of their sentence and the skills they already have.”
Program participants range in age from twenty to fifty-five. Project Restart is already working with twenty people who are in the process of completing a 6-week course to become Certified Production Technicians (CPT’s) in manufacturing facilities. These types of jobs generally offer higher wages than other types of local employment. During the course of the two year grant, there are plans to train a total of 100 participants – some in manufacturing and others in office work or other fields.
John Malley, Program Manager with CareerSource Pasco/Hernando coordinates all aspects of the grant. One of only twenty such grants were awarded in the United States last year.
Malley states, “I teach the CPT course and also link employers with the program participants.”
Project Restart focuses on many areas: maturity skills, marketable training and supportive services. These include résumé writing, interview techniques, business etiquette and workplace communication. This knowledge is designed to enhance the individual’s value in the workforce and remove much of the stigma associated with incarceration. Participants receive instruction toward certification in basic keyboarding, Microsoft Office, QuickBooks, and other skills.
On Wednesday, April 26, ten female inmates received certificates of achievement. On hand to congratulate them were Sheriff Nienhuis; Major Michael Page; Re-entry Deputy Krystle (K) Dejesus; and John Malley.
Deputy DeJesus’ function is to market the skills of the participants and connect them with local employers that will hire them for jobs that will hopefully lead to long-term employment. She also helps provide supportive services such as housing assistance, substance abuse counseling, medical assistance and other community resources.
Companies that hire the graduates of this program get incentives from federal and state sources. It’s a “Win-Win” for everyone involved: the program participants and their families; the businesses; and the community, as a whole.
Any business wanting to find out more about hiring graduates of this program can contact John Malley at jmalley@careersourcepascohernando.com