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Volusia County expands jail "Second Chance" training programs, officials say recidivism and costs are declining
Summary
Volusia County announced an expanding Second Chance initiative inside the county jail, adding vocational training and employer job fairs. County officials said programs have helped lower the average cost to house an inmate and are intended to reduce recidivism.
Volusia County District 2 Councilman Matt Reinhardt outlined a growing “Second Chance” initiative at the Volusia County jail that pairs vocational training with employer outreach and aims to reduce repeat incarceration.
Reinhardt, who described a 30-year corrections background, said the county is piloting and expanding vocational offerings inside the jail — including barbering, virtual welding provided through Daytona State, cosmetology for women, HVAC, electrical and plumbing training, forklift certification, flagging safety classes and job fairs that connect inmates with potential employers before release. He said the county has obtained donated barber chairs from Daytona State College and local volunteers to certify trainees.
Reinhardt told the council the jail’s average population is about 1,300 inmates and has been as high as 1,700. He said the average cost to house one inmate last year was about $111.99 but that the county reduced the per-inmate cost to about $100.55 this year, attributing some savings to programs in the jail.
The initiative has drawn employer interest, Reinhardt said, including from national and local employers that attend job fairs to meet trainees before release. “There’s a lot of excitement with this. These people are opening up their minds to getting rid of the stigma associated with those, individuals that were previously incarcerated,” he said.
Officials noted that some programs remain in early stages and that more infrastructure work is needed for on-site agricultural projects the county hopes to add. Reinhardt and council members urged employers and community groups to participate in the jail’s job fairs and training partnerships to build post-release employment opportunities.
No new county ordinance or budget appropriation for the programs was adopted during the meeting; the briefing described operational expansions and existing partnerships.
