Date Posted: July 15, 2021
The Henry County Sheriff’s Office, Urban League of Greater Atlanta, and Southern Crescent Technical College have recently partnered to sign an agreement to reduce recidivism by assisting inmates in reaching their education and life goals.
Henry County Sheriff Reginald Scandrett, Nancy Flake Jonhson, CEO of the ULGA, and Alvetta Thomas, SCTC president, gathered Tuesday, July 13, 2021 to sign a memorandum of understanding to establish the Dr. Marilyn Flynn GED & Career Pathway School. The goal of this school is help inmates currently incarcerated at the Henry County Jail to obtain their high school diploma, participate in the Fatherhood Program, and earn workforce development certifications and employment readiness training.
Scandrett said the program, set to kick-off August 9, is the first of its kind in Henry County and called it a “game-changer” in that it will allow former inmates the opportunity to earn the skills they need to obtain a job upon release to provide for themselves and their families. This upward mobility will allow them to change their lives and reduce the likelihood of returning to jail.
Dr. Thomas stated, “The basis of this program will be to meet students where they are academically to help them succeed. Southern Crescent Technical College and Urban League of Greater Atlanta will work together to pool resources to get inmates what they need to change their lives through education. Education is the greatest equalizer and we look forward to this partnership as we continue to build strong students, strong careers, and strong communities.”
Johnson said they’ll be working not only to educate, but help inmates choose in-demand careers with “second-chance friendly” employment opportunities who are looking for good workers. At the same time, ULGA will also aid inmates in taking care of basic needs such as identification, transportation, and a place to live. She said anything that could be a detrimental barrier they’ll help to remove to “give them a way forward.”
“With concrete data, these types of programs have proven results and we look forward to seeing the results of this partnership,” Dr. Thomas concluded.