Pictured are Finis Brewer, Karen Brewer and Michael Stewert.
A local jail’s GED program was recently recognized at a state conference as it is having a positive effect on inmates. The Stone County jail started the program about one year ago for lower level offenders according to Sheriff Brandon Long. He says they didn’t have many sign up early on, but more and more show up for classes on Thursday nights.
The classes have three instructors who all spoke at the Arkansas Jail Resource day in Little Rock recently. Sheriff Long says the GED program is led by Michael Stewart.
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Stewart is joined by Finis Brewer and Karen Brewer as instructors. Finis is a Mountain View City Council member and a local pastor. Karen is a school teacher in the Mountain View School district.
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Long says the GED program is geared towards someone who may have made a mistake, not a career criminal.
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The Stone County sheriff says programs like GED classes helps with prisoner conduct.
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There has been one graduate so far from the Stone County GED class, but Long says quite a few inmates will start the classes in the local jail and finish their degree while in prison with the Arkansas Department Corrections.
The sheriff says they have just recently started a drug and alcohol rehabilitation program for inmates and they have plans to help with domestic violence and anger management in the future.
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