Four Richmond County Inmates Complete In2Work Program at Detention Center
Richmond County Inmates completed the In2Work program with skills in food preparation and kitchen management.
On Jan. 23, four inmates completed the In2Work program. The initiative aims to cut recidivism while preparing participants for employment after release.
Bruce Grier, one of the graduates from the Charles B. Webster detention center, explained how he learned about the opportunity. "We are trustees in the kitchen, and we heard through our director right there, and she told us it's a good program, and we got into it," said Grier to WRDW.
Officials designed In2Work to break the cycle of incarceration by equipping participants with marketable skills. Training focuses on the abilities employers seek when hiring for entry-level positions in restaurants and foodservice establishments.
The graduation ceremony marked a milestone. All four participants completed the requirements and received training in multiple areas of food preparation and kitchen management.
Richmond County runs the program at the Charles B. Webster detention center in Augusta, Georgia. The facility houses inmates serving sentences or awaiting trial in the county justice system.
The In2Work program represents one approach to repeat offenders. There is a high percentage of released inmates who go on to reoffend. Job training and employment opportunities can reduce the likelihood that former inmates will return to jail.
Participants must meet certain criteria to enter the program. Trustee status at the facility is required. The director of the kitchen program recruits candidates who show interest in learning culinary skills.
