A new perspective: Thinking of jails as ‘employee factories’

Aaron Poynter speaks with guests at the recent “Bridging the Workforce Gap” presentation at the Corbin Center

I was talking to Economic Development Director Bruce Carpenter after the conclusion of last Thursday’s Southern Kentucky Chamber of Commerce-sponsored event called, “Bridging the Workforce Gap,” and I commented to him that the morning’s proceedings had really served to change my perspective on some things.

I am aware that it is not uncommon for jails, including ours here in Whitley County, to offer certain educational and/or job training opportunities to those who are incarcerated, but I have also never thought about the potential of jails to be what I called “employee factories.”

“That is the idea,” Bruce told me, and I must say, I am very excited about how a newly developed workforce preparedness initiative could have an immensely positive impact on our local community.

The “Bridging the Workforce Gap” informational and professional networking event, held at the Corbin Center, featured a presentation by Aaron Poynter, Director of the Re-entry and Employment Services Branch of the Kentucky Education and Labor Cabinet’s Office of Adult Education.

Poynter had much to say during his talk, but the overall focus was on collecting resources, and then making those resources readily available, when it comes to removing barriers between Kentuckians and gainful employment.

Many of the folks who inhabit our local jails are experiencing the end results of having to deal with barriers to success, so it makes perfect sense to really centralize resources there. Poynter pointed out that approximately 95 percent of incarcerated people will eventually be released back into society, meaning the vast majority of those men and women who find themselves behind bars for one reason or another will get the opportunity to go back to their respective communities and contribute positively to those communities.

The idea behind this initiative is to utilize that time in jail to help ensure that released inmates will come back to their homes fully equipped to obtain gainful employment, pay taxes, have health insurance, and generally be considered an asset to the community, as opposed to continuing to be a drain on local and state-level resources as a result of repeated incarcerations.

Whitley County Judge Executive Pat White, Jr. attended the “Bridging the Workforce Gap” event, and when I asked him what the success of a program like this could do here, he pointed out that, in his 18-year tenure, an approximate 25 million dollars has gone to pay for incarceration expenses alone. To his point, imagine how many road repairs, economic development projects or new pieces of equipment could be funded with all of that – YOUR taxpayer dollars.

White said that a holistic approach like this could really change people’s lives, and I wholeheartedly agree. It could change the lives of not only the people receiving the resources directly, but their families, their friends, and by extension, all of Whitley County.

I was told that Jailer Jason Wilson is fully on board with these efforts, and while the initiative is still in its infancy, there are many examples from all over the state showing how this type of an approach can boost employment rates while also reducing recidivism at detention centers. Sounds great doesn’t it?

So, what exactly needs to happen?

Basically, there are a whole bunch of people coming together right now to pool resources and do what they can to help make sure local employers stay fully staffed and the jail isn’t constantly beyond max capacity. Poynter talked about changing people’s trajectories, and establishing new cycles of positivity and success. This might start with obtaining a GED. It may start with addiction recovery. It may start with getting an ID card. Whatever it is, there is someone who can offer guidance.

I sincerely hope that we will see and hear about many success stories in the years ahead because of this initiative, because as Poynter highlighted, any person who is gainfully employed immediately becomes 33 percent less likely to re-offend. That’s huge, and it’s exactly the kind of thing that would greatly benefit not just us in Williamsburg and Corbin, but throughout the entire region, the state of Kentucky, and even the nation as a whole.

Let’s get back to local impact, though, because that is what we’re most concerned about right here where we work, live, and play. Who are these individuals who can help struggling people overcome barriers and help employers reap the benefits of a more robust local workforce? I am going to list everyone present at last week’s event below. If you can use any (or all) of these resources, then I strongly encourage you to reach out.

Best of luck to all who are involved in this exciting new initiative, and like I said, hopefully we can offer some updates in the future that will include stories of success through hard work, dedication, and a commitment to the betterment of our collective community!

Resources:

• Aaron Poynter, e-mail: aaron.poynter@ky.gov

• Horizon Health KY, Employment Services Dept.: 606-657-2030 (London) or 606-703-0076 (Williamsburg)

• Carla Henson with Kynect healthcare services, e-mail: carla.henson@gracehealthyky.org

• Ken Corso with KY Adult Education (Clay, Knox, Laurel and Whitley), e-mail: ken@laureladulted.org

• Tonya  Fields, Manager of the Corbin Goodwill Opportunity Center, e-mail: tonya.fields@goodwillky.org

• Kentucky Chamber Foundation – visit www.kychamber.com/foundation or call (502) 695-4700

• KY Dept. of Corrections Re-entry Employment Program Administrator Erin Shifflet, e-mail: erin.shifflet@ky.gov

• KY Career Center Veteran Employment Counselor Steven Garcia, e-mail: steven.garcia@ky.gov

• KY Career Center VR Counselor George Gaertner, e-mail: george.gaertner@ky.gov

• Alana Reynolds, Putting Kentuckians First Navigator, e-mail: alana.reynolds@lcadd.org

• Sandy Birkholz with Lake Cumberland Area Development District (LCADD), e-mail: sandy.birkholz@ky.gov

• Cris Ritchie and Lisa Meade with the Eastern Kentucky Concentrated Employment Program (EKCEP), visit www.ekcep.org

• Pamela Bentley, Development Manager with Groups Recover Together of London, e-mail: pamlea.bentley@joingroups.com