FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
September 12, 2014

CONTACT: Peter Van Delft
(617) 704-6682

SUFFOLK COUNTY SHERIFF’S DEPARTMENT HOLDS GRADUATION AT HOUSE OF CORRECTION FOR WOMEN IN PROGRAMMING

Creative Writing instructor Peggy Rambach shares a piece of artwork created by one of her class participants at the Suffolk County House of Correction.

The Suffolk County Sheriff’s Department recently held a program graduation for female inmates at the Suffolk County House of Correction.

Led by Director of Women’s Programming Christina Ruccio, the Women’s Programming graduation acknowledges women who have successfully completed required stages of programing at the House of Correction and are now advancing to the next phase.

Women’s Program Services at the Suffolk County House of Correction delivers gender–specific, individualized reintegration programming to both detained and sentenced females at the Suffolk County House of Correction. All detained and sentenced females are enrolled in a 3–phase program model that begins with Phase 1, or Orientation; Phase 2, where they participate in 2–weeks of daily psycho–educational workshops addressing 4 main topics: recovery, re–entry (life skills and job skills), domestic violence and anger management; and Phase 3, which entails program placement that is determined by the results of comprehensive assessments and the development of an Individual Service Plan (ISP).

In addition to the distribution of certificates to the graduates, the event also featured a presentation of poetry, which participants had written in their creative writing class with instructor Peggy Rambach. Some women shared emotional stories from their past, while others shared a little light humor with the rest of the women and members of the Department who were in attendance.

Sheriff Tompkins expressed his appreciation for the work being done with the women at the House of Correction and reiterated its importance for self–development of participants.

“I really appreciate the work that Christina and Peggy are doing with these women,” said Sheriff Tompkins. “It is not easy to be here and still strive to do better, but, with programs like this, they are able to see that we recognize their efforts and we want them to do better when they leave here. Many of these women have children to go home to and families that need them, so it is important that we do our best to take care of them while they are here and provide them with the support that they need to lead better lives.”

For more information about Women’s Programming at the Suffolk County Sheriff’s Department, click here.

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