Iron County jail becomes 1st in Utah to adopt IGNITE inmate education program

Written by Jeff Richards
January 30, 2024

CEDAR CITY — Iron County Sheriff’s Office has officially adopted a new educational initiative known as IGNITE, which is designed to help inmates acquire useful skills that will prepare them for meaningful employment after they are released from jail.

L-R: Leila Dennis, Ruben Garcia, Meghan Beal, Claire McNally, Bonneville County Sheriff Sam Hulse (at podium), Iron County Sheriff Ken Carpenter, Bonneville Capt. Ed Vitacolonna, Genesee County Sheriff’s Maj. Jason Gould, Stephen Buckley of Edovo, and Utah Attorney General Sean Reyes at news conference announcing Iron County Jail’s adoption of the IGNITE inmate education program, Cedar City, Utah, Jan. 25, 2024 | Photo by Jeff Richards, St. George News / Cedar City News

IGNITE, which stands for “Inmate Growth, Naturally and Intentionally through Education,” first started in 2020 Genesee County, Michigan, under the leadership of Sheriff Chris Swanson. It has since been adopted by correctional facilities in 11 states, with Iron County making Utah the latest state to join the ranks.

Inmates enrolled in IGNITE typically spend a couple hours a day, five days per week in class, where they can access courses to earn credits toward a GED, receive training for a skilled trade job or take various enrichment courses in a variety of topics. 

Iron County Jail has already begun rolling out the program, officials said at a news conference Thursday morning at the jail, with approximately 30 people in attendance, including Iron County Sheriff Ken Carpenter, Utah Attorney General Sean Reyes, officials from the National Sheriff’s Association and representatives from two sheriff’s offices that have already adopted IGNITE.

“What is powerful about it, in my mind, is that it helps us recognize individuals, it helps us recognize the person that we’re dealing with,” Bonneville County (Idaho) Sheriff Sam Hulse said of the IGNITE program. “It builds up the community. It creates and fosters those relationships.”

Iron County Sheriff Ken Carpenter speaks with Bonneville (Idaho) County Sheriff Sam Hulse prior to news conference announcing Iron County Jail’s adoption of the IGNITE inmate education program, Cedar City, Utah, Jan. 25, 2024 | Photo by Jeff Richards, St. George News / Cedar City News

Hulse noted that some in the community may wonder, “Well, you’re doing this for the inmates, but what are you doing for me?” without fully realizing the program’s reciprocal benefits.

“Again, we’re all connected,” Hulse said. “It really matters how we treat people, and it directly goes out and affects the community. I tell our deputies in the jail constantly, and on patrol: you function in the community as agents of change. When somebody comes in at the lowest point in their life, you are giving an example to them of how to be responsible, how to come up out of the problems of their life and rise to the occasion. And you’re doing that every day.”

Claire McNally, project coordinator for the National Sheriffs Association, said not long after the program started in Flint, Michigan, National Sheriffs Association Executive Director Jonathan Thompson decided he needed to see it for himself.

“So he took a team out there, and within a few minutes, witnessing what they were doing in Genesee and the amazing things that they were accomplishing, he knew that this needed to become a national initiative,” McNally said, adding, “IGNITE is not just about education, IGNITE helps identify skills, individual needs, connecting individuals with potential employers, and most importantly, instilling the motivation and self-worth into bettering themselves, which in turn makes a better society for us all.”

Stephen Buckley, strategic growth manager for Edovo, then presented a short slide show and explained how the platform delivers lessons, training sessions and educational materials to the inmates via tablets or laptop computers.

Undated photo of an inmate enrolled in IGNITE program at Genesee County, Michigan | Image courtesy of Genesee County Sheriff’s Office, St. George News

Of the estimated 10 million people currently incarcerated in the United States, only about 20% have access to such programming, he noted.

He noted that the system enables local employers who are willing to hire inmates to provide job training to them at no added cost to the company or the inmate.

“Let’s find a way to get your courses on the platform,” Buckley said. “Let’s find a way to get your resources on here, so that when these people get out, they have a place to go and they have a way to break the cycle.”

Some 25,000 hours worth of content and curriculum from more than 250 providers is already available, he added, noting that each participating correctional facility can choose what lessons are accessible to inmates.

Reyes then gave a few remarks, congratulating the Iron County Sheriff’s Office for being the first agency in Utah to adopt IGNITE.

“This program represents that opportunity to build and strengthen, as the sheriff said, the fabric of the community,” Reyes said. “And then from the community, it emanates out statewide, and hopefully nationally, and then internationally.”

Iron County Sheriff Ken Carpenter and Utah Attorney General Sean Reyes pose for a photo after news conference announcing Iron County Jail’s adoption of the IGNITE inmate education program, Cedar City, Utah, Jan. 25, 2024 | Photo by Jeff Richards, St. George News / Cedar City News

Reyes mentioned that Iron County Sheriff Ken Carpenter’s brother, Park City Police Chief Wade Carpenter, is the current president of International Association of Chiefs of Police.

“It’s great because he can give this program to his brother,” Reyes noted. “They can export it globally.”

Added Reyes: “On behalf of the State of Utah and our leadership there – we’re in a Legislative session – I can’t wait to go back and take the sheriff to the legislators there and brag about the program.”

During his concluding remarks, Ken Carpenter said, “One of the things that impressed me with Genesee County (is) they’ve got companies in the town that are coming in and purchasing virtual reality so that they can offer welding courses. They are coming in and asking to have their own curriculum taught in the jail so that they can hire those inmates to come work for the companies when they get out.”

“That’s a success,” he added. “When the community is involved, we can be successful. That’s the significance of this program. And that’s what I’m asking as your sheriff today is for the support of the community to help us make this IGNITE program burn hot and spread so that it can really become a turning force in our community and bless the lives of our entire community.” 

Following a short question-and-answer session, officials lined up to cut the ribbon, with Iron County Jail commander Lt. Shalon Shaver performing the honors with a large pair of scissors.

Leila Dennis, who has been teaching inmates at the jail, said she’s excited to begin using IGNITE.  

“It’s something we’ve been wanting for several years,” Dennis told Cedar City News. “We have been wanting to be able to have them learn things that they would learn in trade school and get them into something they’re excited about.”

More information about IGNITE may be found by visiting the National Sheriffs Association website or the Genesee County Sheriff’s Office website.

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Copyright St. George News, SaintGeorgeUtah.com LLC, 2024, all rights reserved.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Jeff Richards, a native of Salt Lake City with family roots in Panguitch, lived in Moab for 20 years before joining St. George News in 2017. Jeff is a longtime journalist and secondary school teacher. He and his wife Penny are the parents of five daughters. They also have three young grandsons. Jeff and his family enjoy swimming, camping, sightseeing, reading, and taking pictures.

Email: [email protected]
Twitter: @stgnews@moabjeff@stgnewssports

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