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News Release

Last modified: Tuesday, March 4, 2008

IU School of Continuing Studies post-prison employment course honored

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 4, 2008

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- The Indiana Council for Continuing Education (ICCE) has selected an Indiana University School of Continuing Studies (SCS) training program as its 2007 Course of the Year.

The course, "Employment after Prison: Strategies and Best Practices," is one of several programs developed as part of an ongoing partnership between IU and the Indiana Department of Workforce Development. Workforce development professionals from across the state participated in the course to learn how to better serve Indiana's ex-offender and parolee populations.

"Finding and retaining meaningful employment for ex-offenders has been shown to be one of the most important steps in helping them avoid re-incarceration," said SCS Workforce Development Director Nate Klinck.

According to the Indiana Department of Corrections, 16,000 ex-offenders were released to the community from which they came in 2006; and as of July 1, 2007, more than 9,000 offenders in the state were on parole.

Roger Jarjoura and Crystal Garcia, assistant and associate professors respectively in the Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis School of Public and Environmental Affairs, created and delivered the course. Both specialize in the field of criminal justice and the reentry process. Course participants examined their own beliefs about re-entry, learned about barriers to employment and strategies to overcome them, discussed ways they could implement activities and changes in their own work environments, and finally, participated in a question-and-answer period with four former offenders.

The ICCE Course of the Year Award is given to one course or program offered by a continuing education unit of an ICCE-member institution. The selected course must enhance educational opportunities in the community and provide an innovative or original approach to education.

The ICCE is a nonprofit organization committed to advancing lifelong learning and career and professional development opportunities for the citizens of Indiana and their employers. It comprises representatives from Indiana's two- and four-year accredited colleges and universities. Visit www.indianacce.org for more information.

The IU School of Continuing Studies offers a variety of distance and continuing education opportunities to students of all ages. These include high school courses and a diploma available online or by correspondence, undergraduate courses and degrees available online or on campus, as well as customized workforce development and training programs. For more information, visit www.scs.indiana.edu, e-mail scs@indiana.edu, or call 800-334-1011.

For more information about the award, contact Klinck at 317-278-4227 and nklinck@iupui.edu, or John Beeson at 812-855-8888 and jobeeso@indiana.edu.

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