Graduating inmate Richard Teer, 46, in cap and gown ready for Offender Mentor Certification Program graduation ceremony at California State Prison. It was an accomplishment that could help them secure jobs both inside and outside the California prisons. His shoulders were draped with a graduation stole of canary yellow, emblazoned on one side with the words "Offender Mentor Certification Program." It is a state program that has existed for more than a decade, beginning with an inaugural class at the state prison in Solano County now chronicled in a documentary film. Yet the program has also been life-changing for graduates who are unsure if they will ever use their skills on the outside.

Source: Los Angeles Times March 14, 2023 03:37 UTC