Freedom Ticket: a partnership paving the way for successful re-entry

About the Program

Category: Libraries (Best in Category)

Year: 2011

Freedom Ticket is a partnership between Hennepin County Library (HCL) and the Hennepin County Department of Community Corrections and Rehabilitation. The goal of the program is to pave the way for ex-offenders to successfully re-enter society. A series of programs, jointly planned between the two county departments, has increased access to information, education, and employment opportunities for men and women at the Adult Corrections Facility (ACF). At ACF, HCL presents Job Resource Workshops and the Read to Me parent education program. ACF sends residents in the Private Sector Work Program (PSWP) to work within several libraries while HCL sends library materials to be processed at the ACF Industry section. HCL and ACF provide expanded Internet access in the ACF Resource Room, which allows residents to search for employment and complete online applications. Combined, these programs give ACF residents a ‘freedom ticket’ to expand access to information and improve their chances of successful re-entry.