CONTACT: ERIC RESLOCK (916) 358-1802 Mobile: (916) 764-1696
California Prison Industry Authority (CALPIA) Certifies Offenders for Productive Life after Prison
CALPIA Programs Provide Carpentry Training and Certification For Soon-To-Be Paroled Offenders
CORONA – Today, six offenders at the California Institution for Women (CIW) received diplomas and/or certificates during graduation ceremonies.
The six Career Technical Education (CTE) graduate completed the necessary steps to receive CALPIA certification in Carpentry.
“These graduates are learning valuable skills that will give them a foundation for success as they transition back to their communities,” said California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitations (CDCR) Secretary Jeff Beard.
With a recidivism rate of less than 15 percent, CALPIA’s CTE programs are among the CDCR’s most successful vocational training programs. Carpentry program graduates have a cumulative recidivism rate of just 7.6 percent.
To increase the chance of employment, all CALPIA offender employees are required to obtain a high school diploma, or complete a GED, within two-years of beginning the program.
“By choosing to participate in CALPIA’s carpentry training the CTE graduates have built new programming space, learned construction skills, and significantly reduced their chances of returning to prison,” said Chuck Pattillo, General Manager of CALPIA. Rather than costing taxpayers an average of $42,000 per year for housing, the vast majority of CALPIA graduates will become law-abiding and taxpaying citizens.”
CALPIA’s CTE program trains offenders in various construction skills that include welding and ironwork, general labor, and finished carpentry. CALPIA provides paroled graduates with a set of tools and a tool belt so they are ready for the first day of their new job.
CALPIA is a self-financed state entity that provides training and productive work assignments for approximately 7,000 offenders in 24 CDCR institutions in California. CALPIA receives all of its revenue from the sale of the products it manufactures. CALPIA funds the CTE program from proceeds derived from CALPIA enterprises. The recidivism rate among CALPIA CTE participants is 80 percent lower than the general prison population, a success attributed to the job skills and industry certifications obtained by participating in the program.
