BY LINDSAY J. JONES
March 26, 2008 04:27 pm
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PLAINFIELD — The Plainfield Correctional Facility recently held the first graduation for inmates who completed the PLUS Program — an acronym for Purposeful Living Units Serve.
The 28 graduates have spent the past 16 months living in dorms together, attending classes, and completing assignments based on their program of choice — faith or character.
Steve Hall, director of religious services for the Indiana Department of Correction, said the program is currently offered in 16 facilities, and averages 1,325 participants at any given time.
Since its inception in 2005, more than 800 offenders have completed the PLUS program, and 100 graduates have been released. Of those, only three have returned to prison. That’s 3 percent in comparison to the 40 percent state average for recidivism.
“We’re trying to release them as a better person who can make better decisions,” Chaplain Thomas Bartley said. “The biggest challenge will be dealing with the lifestyle of those in different dormitories after completing the program.”
To successfully pass the program, graduates must complete 320 hours of community service. The participants in the first graduating class completed 11,955 community service hours.
Since the Plainfield facility now houses a sex offender population, Bartley said there are many who don’t believe the inmates can be rehabilitated, a thought he disagrees with.
“These are the people no one wants to be around,” he said. “But if Jesus were here today, I believe this is where he would be.”
Volunteer Carol Applegate, an attorney and nursing instructor at the University of Indianapolis, said she finds teaching courses for the program to be very rewarding.
“I have benefited personally as much as the guys have,” she said. “They really appreciate it.”
Applegate teaches three classes for those participating in the character program — an ethics class on the philosophy of life, values system, and moral issues; a “Please Understand Me” class about personality types and how to react to situations; and a “Seven Habits of Effective People” class that teaches participants about time management and how to be successful.
“The inmates have been really open and receptive,” she said. “We need more of this thing to rehabilitate (them).”
Superintendent Wendy Knight said the program struggled a bit at first, as it receives no funding from the state, but said the staff and participants persevered despite the ups and downs.
“I talked to them (the graduates) before the ceremony, and told them the proof is in the pudding,” she said. “I’m optimistic they will lead by example.”
The next PLUS program is completely full with 84 inmates participating.
The program is currently in need of additional volunteers to serve as a mentors, which requires a two-hour commitment each month. Anyone interested may call Bartley at 839-2513.
lindsay.jones@flyergroup.com
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