White County Awarded Community Reentry Reinvestment Grant

On Wednesday, March 4, 2026, the White County Sheriff's Department, the Orijin Company, the Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development, and the Workforce Connections team kicked off the Community Reentry Reinvestment Grant program, focused on educating and certifying justice-involved individuals for career opportunities.  Equipping individuals for reentry with the learning experience coming to them is the core of this program. 

"Opening up your doors to a program like this says a lot about your commitment to the people in your care", said Rachel McCarthy, an associate from Orijin.  Rachel also added, "Orijin is the first educational technology company in corrections".  The company is designed to help break the cycle of incarceration.  The program is aimed at helping justice-involved individuals earn sustainable living wage careers and to prepare for a successful reentry into their communities.  "Interpersonal environmental structure is incredibly important," said White County Captain Will Randolph.  This opportunity provides real career paths through the participation of multiple agencies. 

Education is brought to these individuals through technology, via tablet or similar item, for a self-paced foundation in manufacturing knowledge while incarcerated.  The Orijin company's program features an industry-standard curriculum, approximately 60-minute classes with a total of 25 classes, and an industry-recognized certification.  These classes have learning areas of manufacturing fundamentals and safety protocols, quality assurance and inspection techniques, basic machine operation and maintenance, lean manufacturing principles, and measurement and inspection. 

"I'm so proud of what we have accomplished here", stated Sheriff Steve Page.  This is reflected in the statistics of White County having a 16.5% recidivism rate, placing it in the top 10% within the state for fewer re-arrest situations.  The state of Tennessee has an average recidivism rate of 40%.  This rate reflects the re-arrest of individuals within three years after being released.  "When I took this job, this jail was in a plan of action and about to be discertified, but we have brought it out of the darkness and into the light", said the Sheriff.  Since that time, the White County jail has received its Tier 1 certification with the goal of continuing to progress. 

"We are one of the few agencies within the state that have decided to dedicate ourselves to putting resources into our programming division as much as we can", said Captain Randolph.   Programs, like the Community Reentry Reinvestment Grant, are designed to continue to help with this recidivism rate to see less of the same individuals within the justice system.  "Helping individuals succeed has to be our goal", stated Sheriff Page.  Another person who has been instrumental in this program is Judge John Meadows.  "Anything we can do to help individuals become productive members of society, I'm here to help", said Judge Meadows. 

Captain Randolph stated, "We are encouraged by the program because of the structure that is built into it".  Some citizens may question the cost of such a program to the budget of White County.  The cost of this program is at no additional tax dollars for White County citizens.  The education, training, and certification of this program also include general manufacturing, production and assembly, maintenance and technical, specialized manufacturing, and OSHA standards.  This program is stepping up to help individuals to have a brighter future and assist them in moving forward after incarceration.