Education

Research indicates that a high percentage of inmates are dropouts from school and that learning disabilities are more prevalent in this group. A study in Virginia (Hull, Forrester, Brown, Jobe, and McCullen, 2000) tracked re-incarceration rates among offenders in Virginia over a fifteen-year period and found that recidivism rates were 59% lower for those inmates who participated in and completed prison educational programs versus those who had not participated. Similar studies also indicate that the reductions in recidivism increased proportional to the amount of education received. These findings are reflected in every study of inmates and recidivism. The research shows that specific treatment interventions including development of cognitive skills, alcohol, drug and sex-abuse treatments, vocational training, education and other prison-based educational programs are all successful at reducing recidivism.

Five Keys provides students with an opportunity to advance their educational level either by earning a high school diploma or a GED. The school holds two graduation ceremonies per year. Since 2003, over fifty students have earned their high school diploma through Five Keys.

Employment

Our curriculum includes Career Skills and Life Skills and additional courses related to careers in Truck Driving, Computer Services and Multimedia. Our partnerships throughout the Bay Area bring actual job opportunities, housing, and other necessary services that enable students to move promptly in the right direction, upon their release.

Recovery

Our curriculum includes connections to groups that treat addiction, rehabilitation and recovery through many forms, with the understanding that many students are also victims. The RSVP and Manalive programs are just two of our brother-programs that focus on rehabilitation and re-education regarding violence. The Women's ReEntry Center and S.I.S.T.E.R. programs provide tools for assisting female students.

Family

Five Keys students in-custody are eligible to participate in a variety of parenting programs. At San Bruno, the Prison Match program consists of parenting classes and weekly visits with the children of participants. At the Women's facility, a new program allows students to meet with their children and work on homework under the guidance of a credentialed instructor. Additionally, family is a common theme in many academic classes. The artwork and creative writing samples found in our Student Work section beautifully display the heartfelt love of family and sincere desire to bring family back into our students' lives.

Community

Many community partnerships have been forged through the Sheriff Department's commitment to Restorative Justice and building safer communities. Our programs link students up with San Francisco organizations such as One Stop, Walden House, and Community Works programs like RSVP, Project WHAT! and ROOTS, among many others throughout the Bay Area.

Our goal is to continue bringing community organizations and individuals into our process for expanding classes and increasing student opportunities. A great deal of community input is used to build our programs for recovery and safe return to a community that welcomes and encourages our students.

The Internship Program provides ex-offenders with a multifaceted employment training track and on-the-job-training which includes advancing their education, developing soft skills, and referrals to jobs whether working in the private sector or human services agencies as peer counselors.