Program seeks to help St. Louis inmates re-enter society

ST. LOUIS -- A new effort in St. Louis seeks to help young jail inmates choose a productive life over a life of crime.

A pilot program called "From Prison to Prosperity," announced Tuesday, provides state and private funds to help connect 130 inmates ages 17 to 24 to either jobs or classes at Ranken Technical College.

Many inmates at the city's Medium Security Institution are first-time offenders awaiting trial. The program will teach them automotive or construction skills, provide financial literacy training and connect them with social-service agencies to help with drug or alcohol addiction or other problems.

Mayor Francis Slay said there are programs for convicts re-entering society, but this one seeks to make a difference before people adopt a life of crime.

"We want to make it less likely that the people in this program end up back behind barbed wires," Slay said.

Jail life can become a vicious cycle, because once there is the stigma of being an ex-felon, finding a job can be difficult, according to state Sen. Jamilah Nasheed, a Democrat from St. Louis. She said she will make a push in the Legislature to expunge felony records of those who complete the program.

About 90 percent of those housed at the jail are awaiting trial, many with no previous criminal record, St. Louis Corrections commissioner Dale Glass said, adding their participation in the program could sway the courts, in some cases, to lessen charges to misdemeanors.

Inmates' families are involved, too -- part of the effort to break the cycle.

The typical inmate will be involved in the program for about a year. Training starts while the inmate is behind bars, but counseling continues for as long as needed, city leaders said.

If the pilot program is successful, the city will likely seek a grant to extend it, said Michael Holmes, executive director of the St. Louis Agency on Training and Employment.

"We believe that there's hope for everyone," Holmes said. "If they want to make a change in their lives, we're there to help them."