KCDC tries new program for inmates

Kay County Detention Center was the first in the state to bring the program, Getting Ahead behind bars and is about to graduate its first class. Getting Ahead is a program which helps individuals suffering from poverty. The Salvation Army has teamed up with the KCDC to present this to one class of men and one class of women. Michael Schlichting with the Salvation Army said there has been 10 weeks of class.

“In this particular program, it’s the correctional facility so the ones in this class are actually in the county,” Schlichting “What we’re hoping to do is when they go through the class the enrichment part will be a help in the process on the re-entry, not have recidivism back into the county jail or prison.”

All the inmates who volunteered for the class had one six hour class each week. In these classes they cover 10 modules, The first three are My Life Now, Theory of Change and The Rich-Poor Gap. Schlichting said the fourth module, The Hidden Rules of Economic Class is the major one.

“Those are usually rules that deal with individuals, like when you go into agencies and you have to have your ID and you have to have proof of residence, different rules like that,” Schlichting said. “The hidden rule is that you should show up to your appointment on time and that you need to come presentable, that kind of stuff.”

The last five are the Importance of Language, The 11 Resources, Self-assessment of Resources, Community Assessment, Building Resources and Personal and Community Plans.

These classes are not typically taught in jails. However if this test goes well it will be introduced to all Department of Correction units in Oklahoma.

There is a graduation ceremony for Kay County inmates September 29^th.