Page 12 - 2021_MJ_Complete

Participants and Curriculum Once it was determined what to inmate workers have already
The LEAP-2 grant dictated a tar- teach the participants, we needed been sentenced to county jail
get number of 100 participants with to select the inmates who would be time and would be released into
50 of them receiving Manufacturing the best candidates for the program. our community, the program
Skill Standards Council (MSSC) The mitigating factors of participant would have more of an impact on
Certified Production Technician selection included the following: their return to society. We were
(CPT) credentials and training. The • Custody level. The severity able to create facility job place-
grant also required a maximum of charges dictates the level of ments that satisfied the program
recidivism rate of 20%. The CPT cer- custody and needed security, schedule, and allowed the inmate
tification program teaches partici- necessitating the screening of worker to continue to work, earn
pants about the technical aspects of lower-custody inmates. Inmates gain time, and reinforce job skills.
the mass production process, safety, with severe charges would Our initial classes provided pro-
maintenance awareness, quality tend to garner a sentence to the graming for 10 male and 10 female
assurance practices, and measure- Department of Corrections and inmates, and were divided into two
ment. In addition to the CPT train- the program training would not sessions: one in the morning and
ing, participants received training be beneficial to them. one in the afternoon. Each individ-
in and were tested for essential • Aptitude and desire to suc- ual block of instructional program-
job skills and programs such as ceed. We also focused on non- ming was designed to last 12 weeks.
Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Word, sentenced inmates, which would As blocks of instruction began and
basic keyboarding, QuickBooks, permit the participant the ability progressed, a new block of instruc-
job interview skills, and resume to concentrate on the program tion was started from the beginning.
preparation. Mock interviews are while in the pre-trial phase of the The revolving-course schedule
conducted to teach and reinforce judicial process. allowed the program to maximize
business etiquette skills. the number of participants.
• Involvement in the inmate
worker program. Given that

10 | MAY | JUNE 2021 AMERICANJails