OFFICE OF GENESEE COUNTY SHERIFF
SHERIFF CHRISTOPHER R. SWANSON
FROM INCARCERATION
TO EDUCATION
THE LAUNCH OF I.G.N.I.T.E.
"Eliminating generational incarceration through education, by restoring value, hope, and purpose to our inmate population"
-Sheriff Christopher R. Swanson
ENDORSED BY THE N.S.A.
About I.G.N.I.T.E.
I.G.N.I.T.E's mission is to reverse the cycle of generational incarceration through education. Educating inmates has numerous benefits that help reduce recidivism and make the community safer. By providing inmates with valuable job training, they are equipped with skills they can use upon release to gain meaningful employment and reduce their likelihood of reoffending. Educational programs have also been found to reduce generational incarceration by offering inmates a way to break out of the cycle perpetuated by previous generations.
Additionally, providing positive reinforcement while incarcerated through educational programs gives inmates much-needed hope, which has been found to reduce violent behavior and fights among inmates. This effective program has been implemented in hundreds of prisons and jails nationwide; it is clear that this approach is one of the most effective ways of combating crime and restoring a sense of purpose within the inmate population.