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By Mike Bodine
Register Staff
5-23-2009 Inmates at Sierra Conservation Center and Fire Camp in Round Valley are being offered the chance to actually be rehabilitated, rather than being simply incarcerated, with a reinstated General Education Development preparation, or GED program, which if successfully completed is the equivalent to a high school diploma.
In 2006, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger added the words “and Rehabilitation” to the Department of Corrections, and changed the purpose and scope of the department to include drug treatment and education programs that were discontinued more than a decade ago, said Sergeant Paul Linder, assistant camp commander.
Just a month into the program and there are 23 inmates signed up for the GED course. Linder said that of the 128 inmates at the camp, about 40 or so don’t have diplomas or equivalents.
Linder said there has been gracious support of the program from the community. Local instructor Mary Lou Enriquez comes to the camp twice a week and Bishop’s Altrusa International contributed $1,000 for books and materials to get the program going. Linder said there is already talk of a school building on site.
Corrections officials are also trying to get the camp certified as an official GED testing site since one does not currently exist in Inyo County. Linder said he hopes to have that in place by the fall.
In addition to the GED program, the camp has offered Firefighter 1 classes to inmates. The camp is considered a fire camp where inmates are trained to fight fires and the inmates can use that knowledge to try and land Forest Service firefighting jobs when they are released, Linder said.
According to Linder, it has been demonstrated that an inmate who can earn a GED or diploma has a lower chance of being a repeat offender.
“It’s tough enough to find a job in this economy, especially if you’re just out of prison,” Linder said, “Without a high school diploma or GED, it’s even tougher.”
He said of the 33 similar camps statewide, some are even offering college classes in conjunction with local community colleges. Linder said he hopes to work with Cerro Coso Community College in the same capacity in the future.
Linder was adamant about giving Inyo County Superintendent of Schools Terry McAteer and Lone Pine High School Principal Larry Todd full credit for getting the program going again.
“I called McAteer and told him what we wanted to do, and he called back in a couple of days offering support,” Linder said Thursday. “He’s a real mover and shaker, when he says he’s going to do something he gets it done.”
Todd said Friday that what LPUSD is doing is helping offer to run the GED program. He explained that there is really no overhead with adult education projects.
“Adult education programs are self-funding, self-sufficient,” Todd said, explaining that the state reimburses a local program for the primary costs, instructor salary, by maintaining a minimum enrollment. Other costs accrued through paperwork or administration will be absorbed into the districts funds for community outreach projects.
Todd said enrollment in adult education classes had declined to the point that classes are being discontinued in most of the county.
“We have many adult education needs throughout the community and we’re trying to provide as many as we can,” Todd said. “We’re very happy and dedicated to provide help to the camp.”
Todd explained that the hope is to provide GED preparation programs for southern Inyo County by the fall.
Linder also wanted to acknowledge that the camp supports the program as does new Camp Commander Jeff Frohreich.
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