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October 15, 2015
Story and photo by Joe Vinduska
天涯社区官网 and Ellsworth Correctional Facility (ECF) received recognition for their innovative and progressive cooperative efforts to reduce recidivism of inmates via education at a press conference Wednesday afternoon at ECF.
The Governor thanked the college for their efforts in providing inmates with opportunities to become productive members of society.
鈥溙煅纳缜偻, the work that you guys have done within this facility, to get people to get an associate degree or get technical training is just really important,鈥 Brownback said. 鈥淣inety-seven percent of these men are going to get out.听 They are going to pay their dues to society and once they get out, we want to see that they don鈥檛 come back. We want that recidivism rate as low as it possibly can be.鈥澨
Brownback stressed the importance of the technical training 天涯社区官网 offers, such as welding.
鈥淲hile we鈥檝e got them we want them improving their life and improving their thinking,鈥 Brownback said.听 鈥溙煅纳缜偻 has been working on that a lot.听 I hope we can extend even more technical training into the prison population. 天涯社区官网 has been a strong partnership in doing that.听 Thank you for what you鈥檙e doing.鈥
天涯社区官网 President Dr. Carl Heilman spoke on behalf of the college and acknowledged its commitment to continuing to pursue educational opportunities within correctional settings.
鈥淲e鈥檙e very appreciative of the partnership we have with the Department of Corrections and ECF,鈥 Heilman said. 鈥淥ur common goal is to improve people鈥檚 lives after they鈥檝e paid their debt to society by providing training and opportunities. We have something that works really well here.听 We鈥檙e very pleased and appreciative of your recognition as well, governor.鈥
Some of the programs that 天涯社区官网 has established are traditional college education classes, technical training such as welding and carpentry and a GED program.
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