Mentors Needed at the Catoosa Co. Jail

Graham adds, "We try to inspire them. With just a few changes they can become so much more."

For several months now, The Catoosa County Sheriff’s Office has been developing a new program called Project Change.

Catoosa County Sheriff Gary Sisk says, "There is no tax dollars. There is no mandated money that has to be paid into it."

No, it’s an investment of your time.

They’re asking you, members of the community, to be mentors to these inmates.

Sheriff Sisk adds, "Its just being their friend to listen to help guide them in the decisions that they’re making."

Here’s how it works.

An inmate expresses interest in the program, and then a counselor at the sheriff’s office looks for a mentor that lives in the same area as the inmate.

Brenda Freeman Short, a member of a local non-profit, says, "Some of these inmates have not had a good home life.  Many are not educated and ready to go into the workplace."

Mentors can change that by helping inmates get their GED or brush up on resume writing skills.

The key is teaching life skills, so inmates can be productive members of society once again.

Grahan adds, "We got to keep that hope going.  We just can’t give up on them."

With around 200 inmates, the jail is almost at capacity.

Some inmates are repeat offenders.

Sheriff Gary Sisk wants that revolving door to stop now.

Graham says, "We can’t do it alone, we can’t do it alone."