One of the most effective ways to improve public safety is to prevent crime from happening again.

At the Alabama Bureau of Pardons and Paroles, that work begins with supervision and continues with substance abuse treatment, mental health services and job training.

These programs operate statewide, from our Day Reporting Centers to the 90-day residential Perry County PREP Center. And the goal is straightforward. We equip people leaving prison – or on probation – with the skills and support they need to succeed.

The PREP Center has quickly become a model for reentry success. Since opening in 2022, about 500 graduates have completed the program, and fewer than 1 percent have returned to prison. Alabama’s overall recidivism rate stands close to 30 percent, but we are trending lower every year as programming expands and partnerships grow stronger.

Employment proves to be one of the strongest predictors of long-term success after release. When individuals have stable work, they are far less likely to offend.

Every day, I witness people who once made poor choices now holding steady jobs, supporting their families and contributing positively to their communities.

Their transformation is not just a testament to personal responsibility and growth, but it emboldens the fact that good-paying jobs are key to keeping former felons out of prison. That is why job training has become a cornerstone of the Bureau’s reentry strategy. We focus on preparing individuals for high-demand, skilled careers that meet real workforce needs across Alabama.

The jobs we target strengthen Alabama’s workforce and support the state’s economy. Not only that, but these roles come with great benefits and offer good guideposts for those navigating life after prison.

Through partnerships with utility companies, leading high-tech manufacturers, agribusiness and other employers, our team has successfully placed program graduates in careers that move the needle.

Reentry program graduates are providing essential services, driving development, bolstering supply lines and upgrading infrastructure across the state. Soon, many graduates will be working to support the United States’ national defense industries and programs.

This recent development is one of the most promising opportunities ahead for the Bureau and those we serve. It stems from a partnership forged between the Bureau, the Alabama Community College System, Ingram State Technical College, the Alabama Department of Workforce and the Alabama Department of Commerce to prepare individuals for a variety of jobs that support the U.S. Navy’s effort to expand its fleet of submarines, ships and other marine defense vessels.

Thanks to funding from the Alabama Legislature, the Bureau will soon open a welding bay at the Perry County PREP Center. Modeled after welding sites used by Austal and other leading Alabama manufacturers, this training space will help prepare PREP graduates for real-world job conditions.

Their familiarity with layouts, tools and machines used on the Gulf Coast will enable them to be assets to these operators from their first day on the job.

If someone rebuilding their life can help build the ships and submarines that protect our freedom, then we are succeeding in the Bureau’s reentry mission. Progress like this is only possible through strong partnerships, and we are grateful to fellow state agencies like the Alabama Community College System, Ingram State Technical College, Alabama Department of Workforce, the Alabama Department of Commerce, the Alabama Department of Mental Health and many others.

However, the private sector’s willingness to work with us and tap into this growing network of highly trained, highly skilled individuals has been a true gamechanger.

Public safety remains the Bureau’s mission; and that goes hand-in-hand with successful reentry as one of the most important steps to building a safer Alabama. By continuing to invest in proven programs and partnerships, we will continue to see significant strides in enhancing reentry and reducing recidivism in our state.