Larimer County Jail Inmates Can Now Access Educational Classes

Inmates at the Larimer County Jail now have access to take educational classes while serving a sentence or awaiting trial at the jail.

According to a news release from the Larimer County Sheriff's Office (LCSO), the Larimer County Jail has partnered with ViaPath - a tech company whose sole mission is to help break the cycle of incarceration through transformative technology and services for incarcerated individuals - to implement educational programming for inmates currently serving time at the jail. 

The education program was implemented using an existing fund which poses no additional cost to the taxpaying public, the news release said.

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These new jail programs have been designed to encourage inmates to invest in their education while incarcerated and prepare for re-entry into the community.

More About The Larimer County Jail's New Inmate Education Program

There are currently over 400 courses and applications available to inmates through the new education program, along with thousands of learning resources.

Programs include an electronic library, rehabilitation courses intended to improve personal resilience and reduce recidivism, career exploration, job search and resume building, personal finance, faith-based courses, substance abuse and mental health self-help courses, and academic and vocational educational courses.

In addition to those options, there is also a course editor that essentially allows Larimer County Jail program staff members to customize new courses, if they wish to do so.

As per the news release, more than 175 inmates had signed up for the education program as of the end of March, which accounts for about 37% of the jail's inmate population.

 Lt. Staci Shaffer with the  Larimer County Jail said she considers jail a “stopportunity” for people to “take the opportunity to stop and redirect” their lives, and in providing opportunities like this she hopes the jail will help people transition to a better life once they're released.

“I hope with this education folks now feel like they can make a different choice,” Shaffer said, according to the Coloradoan.