What is the best way to address criminal justice issues like recidivism and crowded jails?
One program in Pennington County called "IGNITE" aims to prove education is one of the best pathways to a better future.
While homework, art classes and pop quizzes might bring your child to mind, the new IGNITE program in Pennington County Jails wants inmates to have an opportunity to leave crime behind.
Jessica Afrank is the coordinator of the program. After previously working as a victim advocate and in diversion, she said both of those worlds will inform her new job.
“Some people are victims regardless of where they’re at in life – something traumatizing has probably happened to them," Afrank said. "I think using my skills that I’ve received as an advocate will allow me to use that empathy and understanding of what they’ve been through to hopefully stabilize them for the future.”
Afrank said this is about creating community members rather than repeat offenders.
“With them getting job service training, they’ll be doing jobs, they’ll be joining the workforce and being productive," Afrank said. "With the jail, a majority of people are there short-term, meaning they will get released back into the community – they will be our neighbors. What do we want those people to do?”
With this program the first-of-its-kind in the state, Afrank said they’re looking across the country for inspiration.
“One of the first things we’re hoping to implement is an assessment," Afrank said. "We are the first jurisdiction in South Dakota that has implemented IGNITE, so we would like to see what other IGNITE programs are doing in implementing, because those assessments will help us determine what’s most appropriate.”
The program, run through the Pennington County Sheriff’s Office, has the support of the Rapid City Police Department and has named Rapid City Schools and Western Dakota Tech as education partners.