Second million given to state youthful offender program

Second Million Given to State Youthful Offender Program

The Oklahoma Department of Career and Technology Education has received a second $1 million grant from the United States Department of Labor for its youthful offender program.

For the purpose of the grant, a youthful offender is defined as an offender between the ages of 16-21 years.

Approximately half of the 30,000 offenders on probation in Oklahoma are less than the age of 25, according to Dom Garrison, superintendent of Oklahoma CareerTech Skills Centers system that operates behind prison walls.

In partnership with the Oklahoma Department of Corrections, these two organizations are working to provide occupational training, life skills and academic skills to keep these young people from going to prison.

Other project partners include Associated General Contractors, local workforce investment boards, community sentencing planning councils, Oklahoma State Department of Education and local businesses.

This funding comes at a time when Oklahoma prisons are in crisis with prison populations bulging at the seams, according to a recent ODOC report.

The cost to taxpayers of incarcerating one minimum-security offender in an Oklahoma prison is $15,886 a year, according to the ODOC Web site.

These offenders have not yet crossed the line of going to prison.

According to Garrison, each time an offender returns to court, it is usually for a more serious offense.

Realizing the effect of a youthful offender who does not receive proper “life” training, the federal government offered grants to communities willing to train them to enter high-growth, high-demand industries, Garrison said.

Oklahoma has two training programs in place that meet the criteria: commercial construction and advanced manufacturing.

All program partners have been working to provide training for these youth with job, life and academic skills for life after probation.

“With this training and support, these young people are more likely to find good paying jobs and less likely to wind up in prison,” Garrison said.

“It is our intent to build projects that will last longer than our federal grant. The grant is seed money to get this going, but it is important for us to put together a system that will keep going forever. Our goal is to have four to five youthful offender projects statewide by July of 2007.”

While evaluating the program during the first year, initiators of the program made some changes to better meet Oklahoma’s needs.

“In Oklahoma, there are many youthful offenders not yet incarcerated,” Garrison said. “In November, we started developing a strategy to deter youthful offenders from entering a state correctional environment. Recidivism (returning to prison) is extremely high in young offenders. It is our intent to increase the number of probation successes.”

Technology centers in the CareerTech system and Oklahoma State University Technical Branch - Okmulgee provides training for youthful offenders.

Off-site skills’ training is conducted by three technology centers including Mid-America, Wayne; Francis Tuttle, Oklahoma City; and Autry, Enid.

“The training and education is held off technology center property,” Garrison said. “The Department of Education adult education instructors go to the site to teach the students math, reading and communication skills. Each participant must earn a high school diploma or its equivalent to successfully complete the program.”

The first class at Mid-America completed the heavy equipment course in June. All graduated students have successfully entered employment.

For more information about youthful offenders, contact Dom Garrison at (405) 743-5144 or dgarr@okcareertech.org.

Posted July 25, 2006