The programs unit develops programs together with local community volunteer organizations to help current incarcerated inmates make better decisions by preparing for their release back into the community. Many programs also assist inmates in providing the necessary education/skills to gain and keep employment. Inmates are encouraged to stay active in their recovery in order to become healthy productive citizens. Inmates will write a request for consideration to be enrolled and upon approval from classification will receive a notice to attend of course dates and times to attend.
Inmate Education Programs
General Educational Development – GED Prep
The GED Prep and GED Educational Services program is provided by the Brevard organization Links of Hope, and Brevard Adult Education through Brevard Public Schools. GED teaches 9th through 12th grades in preparation for the GED test by providing education in basic skills, such as Math, English, Science, Writing, and History.
GED Testing
Our Inmate Programs Unit employees are certified GED Test Proctors and provide the testing for inmates who have successfully achieved high school level grades through our GED Program. Upon successfully completing each subject, they test to earn their High School Diploma.
Juvenile Education
Brevard County Public Schools provides our juvenile inmates grade level education.
HIV Education and Testing
Facilitated by Unconditional Love Inc. Provides HIV Education and free HIV testing to inmates. Inmates interested can submit a request form to “Medical” to be added to the list for education and testing.
Parenting & Decision Making
Parent Education is a faith based 12 hour program facilitated by Links of Hope designed to give inmates whom are parents the tools they need to raise their children effectively upon release. Our classes facilitate family relations by teaching inmates how to be supportive and actively involved within a family structure. Communication skills, negotiation, effective listening and decision-making are main objectives. The program goal is to improve the inmate’s reaction in conflict situations, to help them learn how to make better choices, and to realize the outcomes of decisions they have already made and the effects these decisions have made on their families. A certificate is provided after 12 hours of attendance.
Inmate Re-Enter Our Community (R.O.C.) Programs
This program is focused on preparing the inmate population for their integration back into the community. Interns from the University of Central Florida and Florida Institute of Technology assist in the instruction of these reentry programs.
Upon completion of each level a certificate will be issued:
LEVEL 1 – Communication and Writing – concentrating on customer service, different types of communication, creating a resume and writing correspondence.
LEVEL 2 – Ex-Offender Job Workshop – The topics of the curriculum consist of identifying employment, job interviews and review possible careers for ex-offenders. Career Source Brevard assists in conducting this workshop.
LEVEL 3 – Reenter our Community Seminar– Inmates enrolled in the program will discuss succeeding outside of jail by proper financial planning, finding housing, and obtaining identification (Driver’s License).
LEVEL 4 – Probation Toolkit – The probation toolkit is a set of general guidelines to assist offenders in successfully understanding and completing probation. The Misdemeanor and Felony probation offices participate in this program and provide probation officers to answer offender questions.
LEVEL 5 – Keys to Productive Thinking – Making better choices and leaving behind the criminal mindset.
Reentry Assistance Packet – A packet of information containing Central Florida community services available at little cost to the individual pertaining to:
- Shelter, Food
- Transportation
- Job and Educational Searches
- Obtaining Identification or Applying for a hardship license
Food Stamps for Nutritional Assistance – All Inmates have the opportunity upon request to apply for Food Stamps while still incarcerated 60 days before released back into the community.
Inmate Special Programs
Alcoholics Anonymous (AA)
A weekly group meeting includes discussions and sharing directed toward alcohol abuse recovery and/or drug/substance abuse problems and is conducted by volunteers from local recovery groups. The goal is to educate and rehabilitate. A certificate is provided after 4-weeks of attendance.
Anger Management
A faith based 12-hour course facilitated by Links of Hope is designed to help inmates gain insights and new strategies to effectively deal with stress and other issues that may cause anger. A certificate is provided after 12 hours of attendance.
Narcotics Anonymous (NA)
A weekly group meeting includes discussions and sharing directed toward drug/substance abuse problems and is conducted by volunteers from local recovery groups. The goal is to educate and rehabilitate. A certificate is provided after 4-weeks of attendance.
Inmate Mental Health Programs
Weekly social skills groups consisting of: goal setting, decision making, stress management, communication skills, conflict resolution, coping skills, time management, and maintaining healthy relationships.
S.A.V.E Program – Saving American Veterans Everyday
The S.A.V.E program is designed to target the needs of the inmate Veteran population. The program identifies and assist the inmates who have proudly served our country in the armed forces. This program will give our Veteran inmates the ability to partake in a multitude of programs, such as Anger Management, Life Skills, Alcoholics Anonymous, Narcotics Anonymous, and Chaplain Services. They also have access to community coaches and volunteers. Inmate Veterans who participate in this program will be housed in a uniquely designed pod to meet their needs, and assist in their transition back into society. The S.A.V.E. program reduces recidivism and ensures our Veteran inmates are given the resources which will enable them to effectively re-enter the community.
REACH – Redirect, Educate, Achieve, Challenge, Heal
The REACH program is a mentoring program designed to target recidivism in our juvenile inmate population. This program seeks to assist our juveniles by providing them with the necessary life skills required to assimilate back in the community.
Participation in this program gives our juvenile inmates the opportunity to take part in an eight-week course that will involve the fundamentals of life skills, interviewing for a job, budgeting, finances, self-care, anger management, goal setting and have a vision for the future. The REACH program will act as a starting point for a new trajectory of success in the lives of the juvenile inmates. It will connect our juveniles back in to the community once released.
Vocational & Certification Programs
These programs are designed for inmates to give them the skills to gain and keep employment hence deterring them away from crime keeping our communities safe. These programs give inmates a practical skill, which will lead to certification. All of our vocational programs are available to both male and female inmates.
Digital Garment Printing Program
The digital garment program is designed to create a garment print shop environment in the Brevard County Jail Complex. This program provides training to the inmates on equipment such as the digital garment printer, the garment heat press, and the pre-treatment machine. This training provides the inmates the ability to turn their skill into a marketable trade after they are released from the Brevard County Jail Complex.
Paws & Stripes® Canine Training Program
Shelter dogs from four Brevard County shelters are teamed with jail inmates for an 8-week course. The dogs are housebroken and learn basic obedience and the other skills necessary to earn their “AKC Canine Good Citizen” certificate. The dogs then return to their respective shelters, ready to be adopted into permanent, loving, forever homes. Meanwhile, the inmates study dog-training techniques, basic dog grooming, veterinary assistant skills, and Pet First Aid/CPR. In addition to earning a Paws & Stripes® Certificate of Completion, inmates also have the opportunity to earn their Level 1 or Level 2 Certification from the International Boarding and Pet Services Association. Dogs and inmates are all winners because of Paws & Stripes. If you are interested in seeing our adoptable dogs, or in receiving more information, please contact the Animal Care Center 321-633-2024.
Project Hope
Project Hope is an innovative program that provides a safe environment within the Brevard County Jail Complex for orphaned kittens. These kittens are raised and cared for by the female inmates. When abandoned kittens come to Animal Services in need of 24-hour care, they are examined by a veterinarian and then transported to Project Hope for a 2 to 6 week stay until they are old enough for adoption and spay/neuter surgery. The female inmate who participate in this program are provided an opportunity to learn techniques in kennel management, care, handling, grooming, and veterinary assistant skills for animals. These skills will be useful in job placement once the inmates are released from the Brevard County Jail Complex.
Sewing Vocational Program
No previous sewing knowledge is required. The sewing program gives inmates the chance to learn the skill of sewing. They start out learning to operate the sewing machine and master the basic skills of sewing. Once that has been mastered, they learn to cut out patterns, use an Elastic Machine, and Serger. They also learn how to repair previously worn clothes. Making inmate mattresses and Inmate uniforms are other jobs they perform.
Sheriff’s Farm Programs Include:
Landscaping, Horticulture, Planting, maintaining, implementing of field crops, trees, Operation of tractors and implements for planting and maintaining field crops. Repair and maintenance of mowers, small engine equipment, tractors, utility vehicles, utility trailers, irrigation systems, bicycles, construction and utilization of hand tools, welding and metal fabrication, and utilization of proper safety equipment and safety practices for various projects.
OSHA 10 Training
This training course is facilitated by a Deputy who is certified as an authorized trainer.
The 10-hour Construction Safety and Health course provides training for entry level workers on the recognition, avoidance, and prevention of safety and health hazards in the construction industry. The program is designed to reduce recidivism by giving inmates the skills to gain and keep employment. Upon successful completion of the course, inmates may earn a certificate and are issued an official course completion card that does not expire.
Inmate Special Programs
Chaplain Services
The Chaplain’s Office provides a number of services to inmates. The Chaplain’s office is consists of over 100 volunteers from the community under the leadership of two full-time chaplains. The full-time chaplains are employed by Good News Jail and Prison Ministry, a non-profit organization.
SERVICES INCLUDE, BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO:
Spiritual Counseling
Individual counseling sessions.
Lifeskills101 a New Direction
A six week course facilitated by the Chaplain’s office concentrating on developing life plans through goal setting and faith stepping. The following topics are discussed: finding housing, the basic skills in securing employment, the job application, the resume, cover letter and thank you notes, reporting restitution and assistance, the job interview process, budget, savings and checking, reporting, life plans, and goal setting.
Healing the Wounded Heart
A five day program giving participants tools to deal with grief and trauma in their lives. 12 inmates participate in each group and groups are held in a different pod each month in the men’s and women’s pods. The groups meet for 3 hours every day in the 5 day program and have homework to do over night for the next class.
Distribution of Religious Materials
The Chaplain’s Office provides Bibles and other primary books of faith to inmates as available as well as a variety of religious reading material. All materials are donated to the facility. A Bible correspondence course is also available upon request.
Emergency Notifications
The Chaplain is responsible for verifying and delivering emergency messages in the event of the death or serious illness of an inmate’s immediate family member.
Religious Diets
The office arranges special diets for inmates following verification of religious affiliation and the religion’s dietary requirements.
Contact Information for Aftercare
A list of known resources offering potential assistance to inmates following their release is made available by the office.
