Duval
Employability Skills Classes
An Employability Skills course assists inmates in finding suitable employment after their release from custody. Inmates will develop job seeking skills such as finding job openings, proper completion of job applications, and participating in job interviews.
Sites offered:CTC
General Education Development Testing
The General Educational Development (G.E.D.) testing program offers an opportunity for those who did not complete high school to take the G.E.D. (or high school equivalency) examination.
The G.E.D. examination is a battery of five tests administered by FSCJ on a regular basis to those inmates who have prepared to take the examination by attending G.E.D. classes at the three facilities and scoring well on a special pre-test to measure their readiness for the testing. Those who pass the examination receive a high school diploma from the State Department of Education.
Sites offered:PTDF; MCC; CTC
Helping At Risk Kids (HARK)
Hubbard House offers this program to juveniles who have had problems with violence related issues in their homes and communities. Together with the counselor, the group examines options to domestic violence and violent reactions in general. The goal is to learn methods of behavioral control that will stop the cycle of domestic violence.
Sites offered:PDF
Healthy Choices
Periodically provided by Planned Parenthood, this program gives education and answers questions about human sexuality issues and parenting skills, with the purpose of preventing sexually transmitted diseases and improving knowledge in this area.
Sites offered:PDF; CTC
Learn to Read (Literacy Program)
This program is coordinated through Jacksonville's Literacy Pro's, Inc. Inmates are trained as tutors by civilian volunteers. These tutors then provide one-on-one instruction to other inmates who are at or below the sixth grade level in their reading skills. These sessions usually take place in the dormitories, interview areas or classrooms and may involve adult or juvenile inmates.
Sites offered:PDF; CTC
Mental Health Diversion Program
While this is not a program with classes and teachers, it is still classified as one of our efforts to divert mentally ill offenders from the criminal justice system into a more treatment-orientated system in the community. With unprecedented cooperation from our local mental health treatment providers, we are managing to divert offenders at the back door of the jail and in first appearance hearing back into social service agency care. Being mentally ill should not be a crime, and we are one of the only agencies in the nation actively taking steps to solve this crisis. Over the past year, 30 offenders have been diverted from the courts, and six from intake. These inmates would likely have spent over thirty days in our jail, probably in lockdown, had they not been diverted. Plus, in the community, they will be getting more of the treatment they need.
Sites offered:PDF
Mentorship Program
The State Attorney recruits volunteers from the community, trains them in the mentoring process, and matches them with sentenced juveniles. The mentors usually meet with the juvenile once a week in-jail, and maintain contact once the juvenile is released. The one-on-one contact from an adult other than the juvenile's parents often creates a positive role model, and additional support once the juvenile is back in his or her home community. Also partnering with the Communities in School Program to match mentors with the juvenile inmates. Several juveniles have been successfully matched with mentors in the Community
Sites offered:PDF
Money Management
Participants are taught in a ten hour series how to develop a personal spending and savings plan. They write financial goals, learn to use credit cards and installment loans and avoid predatory alternatives to mainstream credit, become informed about credit histories and scores and learn how to check and correct their own credit history. Participants learn how to choose and manage their checking and savings account. Graduates who pass a Chex Systems screening and minimum competency quiz are able to open a checking account with a local participating financial institution.
Sites offered:CTC
Nutrition Class
Nutrition education provides information on the selection and preparation of food items necessary to ensure a balanced and healthy diet.
Sites offered: CTC
Narcotics Anonymous Support Group
The Narcotics Anonymous Program (N.A.) furnishes support to those inmates recovering from drug addiction and drug abuse. Various N.A. groups send volunteers to conduct self-help group meetings for the inmates.
Sites offered:PDF; CTC; MCC
Parenting Skills
The parenting course provides support and encouragement for parents dealing with the stress of parenting and difficulties in raising children. Participants learn alternatives to corporal punishment and other effective parenting strategies.
Sites offered: CTC
Pre-Release
Pre-Release is a program for approved unemployed inmates housed at the Community Transition Center. The inmates' needs for vocational enrollment and/or job development and placement are addressed by Work Furlough counselors. There is a 'Release Readiness' track with Pre-Release for the inmates who's remaining sentence is too short to start work or school. These inmates get help and guidance from their counselors in order to reenter the Jacksonville community in better shape than they usually would as an ex-inmate. They get access to a free phone to obtain referral and contacts for housing, vocational, employment, food, and social service agencies' assistance. We also help them apply for, and sometimes obtain, their lost pieces of identification when needed and when available.
Sites offered: CTC
Ready 4 Work program
An ex-offender re-entry workforce development initiative of the U.S. Department of Labor; Center for Faith Based and Community Initiatives. Through its grantee Public Private Ventures and national partners, Ready4Work mobilizes local coalitions to work together for sustainable ex-offender re-entry, and to improve outcomes for ex-offender and the communities in which they live. Ready4Work provides arrangement to pay applicable fines, restitution or child support assessment, mentoring program, career development training course, six months case management, and job support services. Recruiting of prospective inmates is very vital and it is important that the inmate meet the Programs' requirements.
Sites offered:Operation New Hope 1321 N. Main Street
Residential Substance Abuse Treatment (RSAT)
Operated on the weekends by Gateway Community Services and monitored by the Community Service Department, City of Jacksonville, this program has addressed the needs of juveniles with substance abuse issues in our system. This one of a kind program was also built by Jails Division personnel in cooperation with the State Attorney for our juveniles, and makes our Jailed Juvenile Program a seven day a week operation.
Sites offered: PDF
Service Learning Project
One new initiative that has been implemented is with the University Of North Florida Department Of Criminology. Several of the students at the University participated in the Service Learning Project to earn credits toward their degree.
Sites offered: PDF
Substance Abuse Education Program
The Substance Abuse Program provides information and
education to all sentenced and unsentenced inmates in all
three of the Jails and Prisons institutions. Subjects such as
chemical dependency, AIDS, the impact of cocaine, and the
12 Step Program are covered in the series of twelve classes.
Sites offered: PDF; MCC; CTC
Suited for Success
Provides interview appropriate suits and accessories,
comprehensive grooming services, along with career
development and mentoring disadvantaged men/juveniles
seeking employment.
Sites offered: PDF
Toastmasters of America
Periodically, the Toastmasters of America offer their program to the juveniles, to improve their speaking skills, self-esteem, character development, sharing martial arts wisdom and motivational topics with presentation for at-risk kid's environment of today. Debating techniques, comparative, inspirational and other speaking skills are taught as well.
Sites offered: PDF
Tours
Tours are conducted at two of the corrections facilities: Community Transition Center, and the Montgomery Correctional Center.
Victim Impact Panel
Provides an interactive forum for those who have been
victimized or a loved one who had been impacted by a
crime and the juvenile.
Sites offered: PDF, CTC
Writing Program
'Using creative writing to reach out and connect with at-risk youth for the purpose of educating and building workforce skills.'
Sites offered: PDF
YouthBuild Program
A comprehensive employment and training program designed
to teach educational, vocational and life skills while
simultaneously providing homes for low-income families.
While in the program YouthBuild participants receive
training for the GED test, vocational instruction,
pre-employability/job readiness skills and money
management skills. YouthBuild participants remain in the
program until they are transitioned into permanent
employment, apprenticeship programs, school, or the
military.
Sites offered; CTC; MCC