AMCC Focuses on Inmate Re-entry Process Through Job Training Workshops

The Anvil Mountain Correctional Center, or AMCC, is working with others in the community to improve the re-entry process for inmates. One such collaboration is job training workshops. The latest one was hosted on Friday in AMCC by the Nome Job Center.

AMCC’s only Institution Probation Officer, Joe Jennetten, supervised four female inmates, while Vickie Erickson from the Job Center discussed resumes, cover letters, and job search challenges. Jennetten says he helps out with this workshop because of the way it prepares inmates for the transition back to their community.

“One of the reasons why I like this class and think it’s very helpful to most inmates is because it gives them the mindset that there is hope, there’s definitely tools that they can possess and present to potential employers out there that they may not initially know about. There is fidelity bonding, and the tax credits, I think, there are great tools that are under-utilized,” Jennetten remarked. “I think having a class like this, that at least makes them aware, really gets them over that hump, mentally.”

The max class size for this job training workshop is 15, but for this all-female class, only four inmates signed up: Deedee S. Adams, Tammy R. Katchatag, Maxine Ungott, and Audrey E. Booth.

Jennetten says he has been involved with this job training class for both male and female inmates for about six months. “We try to do this once a month, and in my opinion, it’s been a success so far, and inmates really seem to enjoy it, and are fairly appreciative at the end of the session,” said Jennetten.

Besides job training workshops and various classes, AMCC also helps inmates prepare for re-entry by giving them the opportunity to get their GED, but according to Jennetten, an educational coordinator is needed to facilitate that.

During Jennetten’s time with the correctional facility, there have been two different educational coordinators, and currently, that position is vacant. The application process for finding a new educational coordinator is ongoing but is being handled by Alaska’s Department of Corrections (DOC).

“The hiring of AMCC’s educational coordinator is an outside process,” said Jennetten. “We have very little or no say in the process; a lot of our involvement is none, so we really are at the whim of the higher-ups who control this process.”

Besides lacking an educational coordinator, AMCC is struggling with another re-entry related issue: how to address the needs of individuals who are arrested and detoxing from drugs.

Public Information Officer for the Department of Corrections, Corey Allen-Young said in an email, “Due to limited resources, AMCC is not able to deal with these individuals.” He also mentioned that Nome is in need of a detox center.

Despite these needs, Probation Officer Jennetten and Nome Job Center’s Vickie Erickson will continue to facilitate job training workshops to help AMCC inmates with the re-entry process. The next workshop will focus on a group of all-male inmates and be held sometime this month.