A non-profit organization helps incarcerated people learn coding, giving them a better chance at employment after they are released.

Persevere, a Tennessee-based business, has their coding program in four prisons, in the state of Arizona. The organization works with incarcerated people in four Arizona facilities, teaching computer coding help reduce recidivism rates, according to Axios Phoenix.

A Brookings Institute study that was done in 2018 showed only 55% of ex-prisoners reported any income in their first year of post-release. The median income of that group was $10,090 in that year. 

Coding education courses, “Second Chance Programs”, qualify graduates for junior web developer jobs that can earn around $50,000 per year upon release from prison, asserted the story.

In the last four years around 300 people have completed the coding programs. Since 2019 almost 50% of graduates are now employed in the tech industry with another 30% employed in other fields with only a 2% who have re-offended which offsets the statewide prison recidivism rate of 40%.

“That because many software positions are remote and there is a strong need for people with this skill set, Persevere has found the tech industry to be more accepting of employees with criminal records,” said Stephanie Mo-rales, the program’s manager. 

Just this year there were eight incarcerated graduates with “full-stack web developer certifications” at the Red Rock Correctional Center in Eloy.

A breakdown on how the program works is as follows:

Teachers, and Persevere staff teach participants in the program to understand workplace readiness, addressing emotions, physical health and to manage conflicts.

All individuals have a case manager upon completion of the course to help them address any needs or issues during release and in the first year of release. Persevere has a strong focus on helping the ex-prisoners to secure employment and family reunification and transitional housing.

Michael McGrain, a 2023 coding program graduate at the Red Rock facility; he spent 17 years accessing the prison classes and workshops. He said coding taught him skills that can be use when re-entering society. 

“This is the only real opportunity here,” said McGrain. 

He has a December release date, McGrain has been practicing mock interviews, and preparing a resume for his job hunt.

Nathaniel Vasquez, who graduated in 2022 and serves as a teaching assistant this year. He said, when he released in 2024, he wants to work with his brother who is a web developer . 

After losing his freedom five years ago he was lost, but Persevere gave him confidence for a new and better chapter in his life. In the graduate ceremony this year he told the graduates,

“You have the power to write your own code, both in software and in life,” said Vasquez in a graduate ceremony.

Source: San Quentin News | View original article here