Sheriff’s Office launches new education program in Roanoke City Jail

ROANOKE, Va. (WDBJ) - The Roanoke City Sheriff’s Office is launching a new program in the city jail, to prepare offenders for life after incarceration and reduce the number who commit new crimes after their release.

A ribbon cutting outside the Roanoke City Sheriff’s Office Tuesday morning and a program that followed inside the jail gymnasium introduced the initiative known as (R) I.G.N.I.T.E. The acronym stands for ‘Residents Individually Growing Naturally and Intentionally through Education.’

It builds upon a successful program that started in Flint, Michigan and was adopted by the National Sheriffs’ Association.

The Roanoke initiative will continue existing programs including GED classes. And there are new additions, such as a re-entry pod for those preparing to complete their sentences and return to the community.