Young Inmates Cared Straight : Business Job Guidance Program Helps Prepare CYA Prisoners for Careers

Connie Gilreath, community relations manager for the Northrop Corp. in Newbury Park, motioned to the job applicant to sit down.

Scanning the young man’s computer-printed resume, Gilreath smiled and asked him to talk about himself.

What, did he think, qualified him for a position as an offset press operator?

Reiko Johns, 18, sat straight in his chair and looked into Gilreath’s eyes, revealing no sign of nervousness.

“I’ve had 13 months of offset printing experience and learned how to set up the machines as well as operate them,” Johns said evenly.

“I’ve also gotten college credits from Ventura College. I’m punctual, learn quickly and accept criticism well.”

At the interview’s end, Johns smiled and walked outside. Armed guards looked down from a tower a few hundred feet away.

The interview took place at the Ventura School in Camarillo, a coeducational maximum security facility for young adults and teen-agers whose offenses range from petty theft to murder. It was part of a statewide effort by the California Youth Authority to put businesses in touch with the more than 7,000 young offenders held in California’s camps and institutes.

People from local businesses conduct job training and mock interviews to help these offenders learn how to get and, perhaps more importantly, keep a job.

“We’ve done studies that show that 78% of these kids get jobs once they get out, but only 11% keep them for more than two months,” Michael Greer, employment program manager with the youth authority, said.

“A lot of the kids, for example, have no idea that you can get fired for being late or not showing up,” he said.

Vocational Training

Through a partnership formed in 1985 between the youth authority and the Industry Education Council of California, a nonprofit coalition of 1,200 businesses, and 600 education agencies, incarcerated youths are offered vocational training, college courses and job preparation classes that teach such things as resume writing and interviewing skills.

Businesses such as Northrop and Trans World Airlines participate by evaluating and making recommendations to the youth authority about employer expectations. They also convey those expectations and requirements to the incarcerated youths.

“I’ve been taking college courses to be a veterinary assistant and just finished writing my resume,” said Debbi Hastings, a 20-year-old mother of four sent to the Ventura School last year for forgery. Hastings’ last child was born three months after her incarceration.

“My mother always took care of my children, and so I never had to be responsible or learn what was expected of me,” she said. “But having these companies here really helps. They’re teaching you what you need to do to make it.”

After three videotaped mock interviews between Northrop employees and youths, Jeanette Heady gathered her job guidance class together in front of the television to discuss each person’s performance.

Ten boys and three girls, dressed in uniform dark brown sweat shirts and jeans, watched Johns’ interview. Gilreath interjected observations from an employer’s point of view.

“He makes very good eye contact and isn’t squirming in his seat,” Gilreath said. “That’s important to an employer because that shows confidence.”

Heady, an instructor at Ventura College, said later that the youths had been prepared for “stress questions,” such as: “What have you been doing for the last two years?”

“If they were under 18 when they committed a felony, they are not required by law to put it on a job application,” Heady said.

Carlos Gurrola, manager of electromechanical packaging for Northrop, said encouraging the teen-agers and young adults is more than good business.

“I wouldn’t be where I am today if I hadn’t gotten some encouragement by a drafting teacher who recognized some potential in me while I was in high school,” he said.

Gurrola said he made a “personal commitment” in 1978 to talk with incarcerated young people.

“A lot of these kids are very bright and have real potential. And, maybe having somebody recognize that will make the difference. Because that’s what we all want--to help them get back on track again.”