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LIFE Tech Center helps prison inmates readjust to freedom Forty-three men graduated Aug. 6 from the LIFE Tech Transition Center in Thomasville. This was the first group to graduate from the program since the center opened April 1. The center can hold about 300 prison parolees and there are currently 260 men participating in the treatment and education program. Darrell Morgan, the State Probation and Parole Officer who oversees the center, says they look for prisoners who will be paroled, with educational needs and who possibly had a prior drug or alcohol addiction. No sex offenders are accepted into the program. "The main phases here are treatment and education. They receive 11 weeks of treatment after they are assessed for what issues they may be dealing with, like alcoholism, drug addiction, anger management. "After they complete their treatment, then the education phase begins, which is 15 weeks. We offer a GED program, job readiness and job prep skills. We help them get a drivers license, birth certificate and set up home plans. The focus is getting them a job so they can provide for themselves. We try to help them with every thing they need to be successful once they are released," Morgan explained. "This is such a new concept for the state. We have some kinks to work out and it takes a few months to get something like this up and running." Once a parolee leaves the program, he is still on parole and parole officers check on his progress. Morgan said early indications are that they are moving in the right direction. "The theory of the program is sound. We need to give it time and let it do what it's supposed to do. It's worked in other states." The women's facility in Wetumpka has been operating a good deal longer and so far the failure rate is about three to five percent. When a participant violates parole, a parole hearing is scheduled. Often the parolee is placed in the county jail until the hearing is complete. Following the hearing he is either sent back to the department of corrections or reinstated in the LIFE Tech program. "We have had to send some for technical violations. Some, if not most, will be back on site here. We've had to take 15 so far. "The numbers from the women's facility are encouraging. The crime reoccurrence rate, as opposed to those who are on straight parole, is 40-50 percent lower. We look for similar numbers here." Morgan said. "Thomasville has been real receptive; they've been welcoming. They've bent over backwards to make this place a success. The county jail has also been helpful and they've bent over backwards too. They've been great to work with." Future plans for the center include a new activities, or multi-purpose building and possibly expanding the number of parolees in the program.
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