Two young fathers serving time inside the Cobb County Adult Detention Center appeared at the jail’s administration center Thursday morning ready to answer questions.
Dressed in bright orange, jail-issued medical scrubs with a cadre of deputies standing at a ready a few feet away, it may have felt like they were appearing for a court hearing.
But the inmates were there to commemorate the hope of becoming better fathers.
The men participated in a pilot program aimed at teaching male inmates parenting and life skills. They were two of the first three inmates to graduate from the Young Fathers program, which the Cobb County Sheriff’s Office began in June.
Sheriff Craig Owens, who took office in January, said the program represents a manifestation of one of his campaign promises to hone in on ways to reduce the jail’s recidivism rate.
“I wanted to make sure that every inmate that comes here leaves better than the way he came in,” Owens said. “I think this is a step in that direction by giving these young men and young fathers some guidance, direction and some hope to be successful when they walk out of those doors.”
The prisoners were presented with their certificates for completing the four-week course, which teaches parenting skills and career readiness. The inmates learn coping tactics and conflict resolution skills to help them bond with their children.
They’re also taught interview and job-training skills and are tasked with crafting a business plan to find employment after they are released from jail. Both men are awaiting trial. Caleb, a 22-year-old father from Dallas, was arrested Dec. 24 on multiple charges including aggravated assault and possession of a firearm during a commission of a crime. He looked forward to reuniting with his daughter and hopes to become an entrepreneur. Joel, 26, from Marietta, was arrested Feb. 25 on multiple drug, weapon and violent charges. He hopes to change his life and work with computers.
The third graduate was released from custody Aug. 7. Deshawn, 21, of Stone Mountain, was arrested April 15 for aggravated assault, battery and child cruelty. He was released on bail last week and hopes to one day start his own trucking company.
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution agreed not to use the inmates’ last names for this story.
The Urban League of Greater Atlanta approached the sheriff’s office in February with the idea of partnering for the program, which is intended for imprisoned Cobb County fathers between the ages 18 and 25.
The program is funded through the U.S. Department of Justice as part of the federal Second Chance Act initiative, which was established to strengthen relationships between young, locked up parents and their children. The Urban League administers the federal funding locally and has also partnered with the Henry County Sheriff’s Office for an education program that helps inmates there earn high school diplomas and prepare for employment.
Maj. Larry White, who manages the program inside the Cobb County jail, said Urban League specialists help reintegrate the men into society after they’re released. The organization will connect the men with job opportunities and even provide them clothes to wear to job interviews.
“We don’t want them to revert back to some old ways of thinking. And I think when a person has a viable the future, I think the likelihood of reoffending is lessened,” White said. “I can’t say enough how proud I am of them that they’ve taken this opportunity. They used this time wisely to reinvent themselves and to become better people, better fathers and better members of society.”
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