NEWTON COUNTY, Ga. — Ten Newton County inmates are hitting milestones on their path to rehabilitation.
Sheriff Ezell Brown and the deputies at Newton County Sheriff's Office (NCSO) are celebrating the newest graduates of the Residential Substance Abuse Treatment program (RSAT) along with the #1 Dad's program.
The Residential Substance Abuse Treatment program (RSAT) is a three-month program Newton County Sheriff's Office has implemented in an effort to reduce recidivism, which is the tendency of a convicted criminal to re-offend.
During the program, inmates learn how to cultivate cognitive, behavioral, social, vocational and other coping mechanisms to prevent inmates from falling victim to substance-abuse-related issues.
All 10 inmates, seven men and three women, graduated from the RSAT program, according to the sheriff's office.
Similarly, the #1 Dad's program helps inmates "strengthen, establish or re-establish relationships between adult fathers and their children, or fathers and their spouses/partners and their children," according to a press release.
The male inmates who graduated from the #1 Dad's program gained skills critical to fostering fatherhood, healthy relationships and economic stability through workshops, case management, and job skills training provided by NCSO's partner Action Inc.
"I understand that it's not solely up to one individual to aid these residents," Sheriff Brown stated. "It requires a collective effort to ensure their success throughout and after the program. Therefore, I extend my gratitude to my staff and all facilitators for their exceptional dedication in securing a prosperous future for these individuals."
The Residential Substance Abuse Treatment program and the #1 Dad program are among more than 20 jail-based programs created to help further the life of inmates after lockup. As a result of these programs, the sheriff's office has seen a 50.6% decrease in the number of repeat offenders returning to the Newton County Jail.
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