Fayette County jail 无毛视频榠gnites无毛视频� rehabilitation program in New Mexico
The Fayette County jail recently wrapped up its third semester of the IGNITE program, a pioneering rehabilitation initiative aimed at reducing recidivism.
The inmates无毛视频� graduation came as Sheriff James Custer and Warden John Lenkey returned from New Mexico, where they played a key role in launching a similar program at the Eddy County Detention Center.
无毛视频淚GNITE is designed to change (the) culture,无毛视频� said Custer. 无毛视频淎nd what we want to do in jails is change the culture.无毛视频�
IGNITE, which is an acronym for 无毛视频淚nmate Growth Naturally and Intentionally Through Education,无毛视频� provides inmates with education, vocational training and life skills to help them successfully reintegrate into society with the help of online classes and partnerships with community organizations.
Kathleen Griffith was an instructor this semester on behalf of United Bank. She taught a financial literacy class and said she believes the program will benefit the community.
无毛视频淚 learned as much as I shared,无毛视频� Griffith said. 无毛视频淚无毛视频檓 just really grateful for this program and each of these students and how serious they took learning.无毛视频�
The program was initially launched in Genesee County, Mich., in 2020 and was adopted by Fayette County after the completion of the new jail.
The program has found success, according to a 2024 study conducted by Harvard University无毛视频檚 National Bureau of Economic. The study found the program reduced both jail misconduct and three-month recidivism by 25% at a county jail in Michigan.
The study also found that reading and math levels increased by at least one grade level among a 无毛视频渧ast majority无毛视频� or participants.
The success of the program could be why the program is being adopted by more jails. When the Fayette County jail implemented IGNITE in March 2024, it was the 14th site to do so. Nine months later, the Eddy County Detention Center became the 20th site to host the recidivism program, according to the National Sheriffs无毛视频� Association.
Custer and Lenkey were selected by the association to help implement the program in New Mexico because of how similar the two institutions were.
无毛视频淣ew Mexico is like Pennsylvania as they both have jail wardens where the sheriff is not directly involved in running the jail,无毛视频� Custer said. 无毛视频淭his is the second warden jail to become part of IGNITE.无毛视频�
During their two-day trip, Custer and Lenkey said they were able to tour the facility and provide feedback on what has and has not worked with the program.
Lenkey said he told the staff to expect the unexpected and to be bold in their decision making.
无毛视频淎s an organization, between the sheriff and my staff here, we无毛视频檝e created everything we have out of nothing through hard work and trial and error, which was us saying 无毛视频楾his sounds great, let无毛视频檚 do it,'无毛视频� Lenkey said.
The results of the program such as recidivism rates cannot be determined because of the short time IGNITE has been used at the jail; however, Custer and Lenkey said since the program has been at the jail, they have not had a single infraction in the IGNITE housing area, and there has been a morale boost among both the inmates and jail staff.
无毛视频淲e无毛视频檝e seen a real shift in the overall culture of the jail,无毛视频� Custer said.
And while revitism is the overall stated goal of the program, Lenkey said the success of IGNITE is not determined by stats but making the community as a whole a better place.
无毛视频淭his is one program that I无毛视频檝e been in and the only program that I无毛视频檝e ever seen in all my years that I think is capable of truly helping people,无毛视频� Lenkey said.
The sheriff agreed.
无毛视频淲e无毛视频檙e here to truly try and help make a difference in someone无毛视频檚 life,无毛视频� he said.