On Monday at the ACC Highland Campus, Senator John Cornyn (R-TX) threw his weight behind a new piece of legislation aimed at aiding former inmates' reentry into society, with an emphasis on workforce development. The legislation echoed the aims of ACC's training programs like those at Lockhart Correctional Facility, providing customized certification and workforce education for inmates, according to a news release from Austin Community College (ACC).
Highlighting the high rates of recidivism that Texas faces, with 40% of those released landing back behind bars within a year and a demanding 75% reoffend within five years, Cornyn stressed the need for effective reentry initiatives; in a press release, he stated, "I find myself back at ACC, saying keep up the good work, It is phenomenal what they are doing here, I just can’t help but be inspired by the people who make this possible and who have chosen a new path," as per Austin Community College (ACC).
The senator's visit was not just ceremonial – it included a roundtable discussion with local workforce development officials and several former inmates who shared how they've since gained footholds in their careers after incarceration. These discussions aimed to spotlight both the challenges faced by those reentering the workforce and the transformative effects of education and job training programs currently in place at ACC.
Don Tracy, ACC's Director of Continuing Education Corporate and Community Education, spoke to the importance of early engagement with incarcerated individuals before their release, noting, "Throughout my work, I have seen the importance of engaging with our students before release, If we can do that and help them build a personalized plan for how they will enter the community, the recidivism rates go way down"; this was echoed by Misty Campbell, a former inmate turned ACC re-entry specialist and a participant in the program, who now leads the correctional education department efforts in designing reentry plans, saying, "This is something that is near to my heart," as stated in Austin Community College (ACC).
