Carroll County residents reentering society after incarceration will have the opportunity to pursue a career in dental assisting, home inspecting, electronic assembly, truck driving or business, thanks to a new pilot program at Carroll Community College.
The college signed a memorandum of understanding Aug. 15 with eight county agencies to create a “Justice System to Careers Initiative” pilot program. The program aims to reduce the rate of crime, by supporting individuals to re-enter the workforce, said Angelica Carter, the college’s director of community engagement.
“The fundamental undertone of the program is to give folks hope,” Carter said, “to see more in themselves, so that they can achieve more and contribute more to our local economy.”
The Carroll County State’s Attorney’s Office and Carroll County Circuit Court both signed onto the memorandum, and may make participation in the program a condition of sentencing. Other agencies who signed include the Carroll County Sheriff’s Office, Carroll County Health Department, Carroll County Workforce Development, Justice Jobs of Maryland, Inc., The Carroll County Public Defender’s Office, and Carroll Community College Workforce, Business and Community Education.
“This partnership is invaluable and will provide individuals with the resources that will reduce recidivism in Carroll County,” Carroll County State’s Attorney Haven Shoemaker said in an Aug. 21 news release.
The initiative represents agencies coming together with a shared vision of better outcomes for formerly incarcerated people, Carter said.
Each participating entity was enthusiastic about the prospect of the program and its potential to improve the community. Carter said the most challenging part of finalizing the memorandum was coordinating with so many busy entities to schedule a time to meet.
“This initiative underscores our commitment to providing justice and supporting rehabilitation and reintegration efforts,” Sheriff Jim DeWees said in the release. “By working with the college and other key stakeholders, we reinforce our dedication to creating opportunities that enable individuals to turn their lives around and contribute positively to society.”
Carter said she is not aware of any other Maryland county with a similar program.
“The number of partners is unique,” Carter said. “It’s a landmark initiative where we’re eight agencies across the county who are partnering for this one initiative.”
Community college programs selected for the pilot program were chosen because they were deemed a good fit for formerly incarcerated individuals, Carter said, which means they generally have higher levels of physical engagement and shorter durations.
“When someone’s coming home from being incarcerated for a while, they need to earn money right away,” Carter said. “A short-term credential is alluring in that regard, because they’re getting paid a small stipend during their participation of the program, a short program duration facilitates the ability to turn right around and get connected with employers.”
According to Carroll Community College spokesperson Lisa Slappy, participants may enroll in:
- A three-month, 90-hour dental assistant course for $1,870, with graduates expected to earn $20 per hour;
- A three-month, 84-hour home inspector course for $1,058 that prepares graduates to own a business;
- A weeklong, 40-hour electronic assembler course for $1,780, with graduates are expected to earn $24.13 per hour;
- An eight-week, 280-hour truck driver (CDL-A) course for $5,500, with graduates expected to earn $16 to $22 per hour; or
- A 10-week, 80-hour pathways to entrepreneurship course, which is fully funded, that prepares graduates to own a business.
A high school diploma is required for the dental assistant or electronic assembler programs. Prospective truck drivers must have a valid Maryland driver’s license and pass a drug test, and dental assistant applicants must pass a safety exam, according to Slappy. The cost of drug and permit testing is included in the cost of the truck driver program, and the cost of a certification exam is included in the electronic assembler program.
“A shift in framework makes all the difference,” Carter said, “because if you feel like you have to settle for any job that you can take, you become part of this cycle where you never get ahead, and that’s conducive to making poor choices. That’s conducive to being a victim of circumstance. What we’re trying to do is change that paradigm and really empower people to lean into who they are, and if they’re not there yet, we’re going to help them get there.”
The truck driver, home inspector and dental assistant programs are restricted to those 18 and older. Participants are supported with weekly counseling, stipends, and additional resources aimed at ensuring they complete the program and successfully transition into the workforce, according to the release.
The college is also building a portfolio of employers who will guarantee at least an interview, Carter said.
“Instead of sending them to jail, perhaps we can course-correct and send them to a specialty training and education program,” Carter said, “and we can give them a stipend while they’re enrolled into the program, and set their course correction that way.”
The pilot program is ripe for growth opportunities, Carter said, including featuring new and longer programs, and garnering additional state partners.
“The Justice System to Careers Initiative agreement represents more than a document,” Carroll Community College President Rose Mince said in the release. “It signifies a unified vision and a shared dedication to making a meaningful impact on individuals navigating the criminal justice system.”
The program is also likely to create better outcomes for family members of those involved, Carter added.
“The families of the justice-involved citizens are going to be critically impacted,” she said. “Imagine an individual who has struggled their entire life and has made mistakes and has found themselves incarcerated. They come out, they don’t have any new skills, they don’t have any new connections, so they’re even worse off than when they went in. That is the driver of recidivism. The differentiating intervention that we are applying here is the ability to change their circumstances, and if we can change someone’s circumstances, while at the same time letting them see that they are empowered to do that themselves, we’re going to change their lives.”
Anyone seeking more information may reach out to Carter at acarter6@carrollcc.edu.
