Iowa Apprentice Program is Ready to Put People to Work
By Holly Harris, Executive Director, U.S. Justice Action Network
We know that the vast majority of people in our prisons and jails will return to society at some point. And we want them to return as better citizens, not better criminals. We’ve been highlighting state programs working towards that very goal, and this week we’re focusing on Iowa.
We turned to Iowa’s Lt. Governor Kim Reynolds to help explain exactly why Iowa’s registered apprenticeship at the Department of Corrections works so well.
Iowa identified a need to do a better job of rehabilitating those who leave their state prisons each year. So a few years ago, the state started working on a registered apprenticeship program that offers enrollees at correctional facilities hands-on training with businesses. The initial outcome has been a great success — the program has grown over 700 percent in just three years.
The Department of Corrections uses outside partners to organize the program but has brought training and skill development into its prisons across the state. Inmates receive the hands-on preparation and instruction they need to start careers in such trades as carpentry, welding, plumbing, and electrical maintenance. This invaluable training means once they leave a correctional facility, they’re ready to start work.
As Lt. Governor Reynolds details, this apprenticeship program is successful because it provides incarcerated Iowans the tools they need to be successful in the workforce: knowledge, skills, confidence, and the desire to do the job. We all know that a job is one of the greatest deterrents to a return to a life of crime. And the numbers tell the story: participants in job training or educational programs have, on average, a 43 percent lower chance of returning to prison.
Giving former inmates the tools they need to lead productive, crime-free lives is smart for public safety, but that isn’t the only benefit of this program — it’s also good for the economy. By expanding the pool of skilled workers, businesses in Iowa can grow and thrive.
A boost to the state’s economy + safer communities = a win for all Iowans. Thanks to Lt. Governor Kim Reynolds for sharing Iowa’s registered apprenticeship program, and for supporting a leaner, safer Iowa!
More from the U.S. Justice Action Network:
The U.S. Justice Action Network is the first action organization in the country to bring together progressive and conservative partners, collaborate with law enforcement, and employ federal and state-specific lobbying, public advocacy, and public education efforts to pass sweeping criminal justice reforms.
Don’t forget to follow us on Twitter: @USJusticeAction
