Computer coding is something that’s typically taught to high school graduates who wish to one day become professional programmers. However, more than ever before, coding is now also being taught in other educational settings, including K-12 classrooms. It’s a great opportunity! By teaching youngsters how to code, schools hope to teach students logic, raise kids with a growth mindset, and pre-prep students for a potential career in tech. But there’s another group of people that many are eager to teach coding to: prisoners.
The Last Mile is one organization aiming to provide technology training to those behind bars. To ensure that soon-to-be-released prisoners have a good opportunity to land a fair-paying tech job, the non-profit is providing the educational tools necessary for them to learn the art of creating websites and software from scratch.
You might be asking, “But why prisoners?”
Via their website, The Last Mile argues that the U.S. criminal justice system is broken, but by offering their program, the organization believes they’re making a positive difference in terms of how ex-convicts turn their lives around.
“Not only are we driving down the recidivism rate where people get out and don’t come back no more, but we also have the ability to go back in the community and stop people from going into prison in the first place,” said Jason Jones who partook in The Last Mile program himself.
Although a majority of prisoners will one day be released, more than an estimated 80% of these individuals will re-offend, landing themselves back into the prison system. But it doesn’t mean they don’t deserve a shot at making things right. That’s why The Last Mile is giving these individuals a second chance.
“Generally, many people inside want to do better, want to be successful. So, create that opportunity, because 90 percent of people are going to get out, the question is, ‘who do you want them to be?’” Chris Redlitz, one of the owners of the organization, said.
It turns out, the program really has helped improve the recidivism rates. In the span of a decade, The Last Mile has had 100 graduates, including Jason Jones. Thus far, none of the graduates have reoffended since being released.
What’s more, it costs approximately $75,000 to house a single prisoner in the state of California for one year. But to offer that same prisoner training on coding and significantly reduce their chances of one day getting convicted again? It costs $5,000.
In turn, taxpayers could not only save a lot of money, but the program could help create a safer community to live in as those trained by the program are less likely to engage in criminal behavior again. And with a higher potential to find a job post-prison, the re-admitted civilians can work for their money rather than rely on government programs. It seems like a plus for everyone involved.
“What The Last Mile has shown is that a change is possible,” said Redlitz’s wife and The Last Mile founder #2, Beverly Parenti.
Discover more about the coding program below.
