By COLE REIF
Great Bend Post
Recidivism is the tendency of a convicted criminal to reoffend. Recidivism rates in Kansas are nearly 35% overall. An Associate degree drops that rate to under 14%.
Barton Community College offers education and training to incarcerated individuals at the Larned State Correctional Facility and Ellsworth Correctional Facility. Nicole Barr, Barton’s Coordinator of Correctional Education, said the majority of those individuals in prison will someday be released.
"Between 95% and 98% of incarcerated people will be out at some point," said Barr. "It is our job, not only as educational providers but correctional staff, to make sure that we are showing them the appropriate ways to communicate with one another and how to get up and go to your job, those soft skills. They will be getting out. We want to make sure they're ready to be contributing members of society."
Along with many other courses, Barr said Barton offers welding, carpentry and plumbing at both of the correctional facilities, which are felony-friendly industries with second-chance employers.
"Private industry partners tour our welding class each semester," said Barr. "They can see some of the shining stars, those students that are doing really well. Generally, they hire them after their sentence is over to get them employed right away."
In her presentation to the Barton Board of Trustees Tuesday, Barr noted every $1 invested in correctional education saves the taxpayer $5 in terms of criminals reoffending.