Another Graduation of Inmate Students at the Scott County Jail - Once Again, the Scott County Jail Sets the Standard for the Rest of the State!

Scott County-On February 9th, the Scott County Jail was blessed to support and bore witness to a group of inmate students who graduated from a course designed to help them gain employment when released from custody. This adult education course labeled OSHA-10, a pre-apprenticeship construction class, was formed by a partnership between River Valley Resources (RVR, the adult education partner of the Scott County Jail), the Indiana, Kentucky, and Ohio Regional Council of Carpenters (IKORCC), and Ivy Tech Community College. The course, which lasted from 8-10 weeks in total, was held entirely within the walls of the Scott County Jail, utilizing non-appropriated funding. In other words, the course didn't cost Scott County Taxpayers one cent, which we at the Sheriff's Office take great pride in. Additionally, instruction in social skills development and developing partnerships in the workplace was provided to the students, helping them with the needed skills required in today's work environment. The partnership between the SCSO and RVR makes all these courses a reality, where we can provide opportunities for our inmates that they may have never had in their lifetimes. A ceremony was held where four (4) of the graduating class (several of the graduates were released from jail before today's ceremony) were presented with certificates of graduation, and their union membership cards. Sheriff Goodin stressed the following... "I am extremely thankful to all the partners we have at the Scott County Sheriff's Office. These program partners are what is helping us slam the revolving door shut, with recidivism rates dropping dramatically every year since I have been in office. Our jail leads the way to recovery in the State of Indiana...long-established standards are not what we follow. Consistent process improvement efforts by jail staff and our program partners result in the Scott County Jail setting new standards for others to follow and emulate, not only in the State of Indiana but the entire nation.  Ms. Carey Bowling, our go-to RVR Adult Based Education Instructor, has constantly been one of the biggest champions of providing these courses within the jail...we are blessed to have her as a partner, and we hope to have many more graduations in the future".  The graduation culminated with a group photo including the graduates, Scott County Sheriff Jerry Goodin, Jail Commander Doug Herald, Scott County Jail Officer Kathy Burge, who coordinates all inmate instruction courses, and RVR Adult Based Education Instructors, Charles Stucker and Carey Bowling.

-30- 

Dawson

Contact Sheriff Jerry Goodin at Scott County Sheriff's Office (812)752-8400.