LIFE Tech center hits full stride
By Arthur McLean
Editor

Alabama Southern's educational building is one of the newest structures at the LIFE Tech center in Thomasville. photo by arthur mclean

While still abuzz with construction activity, the LIFE Tech center in Thomasville has also quietly gone about the business of rehabilitating state prisoners prior to parole.

The center, operated by the Alabama Board of Pardons and Paroles educational opportunities, job training and substance abuse programs. The goal is to release these former prisoners back into their home communities as members of society with something to offer after the six month program. By giving them the tools to better function outside of prison, it is hoped they will not return to a life of crime.

Called a transition center by the state, the first such operation was started in Wetumpka for female prisoners. The centers also provide the function of relieving overcrowding in the state's prison facilities.

Thomasville's center houses a male population.

The male parolees at the Thomasville transition center will have come before the Board of Pardon and Paroles for consideration and found to be unsuitable for regular parole. Instead, they will be paroled with a special condition that they must first successfully complete the LIFE Tech program, according to a state press release.

Darrell Morgan, the center's director, was interviewed by The Thomasville Times and described the center's operations.

Operations began at the center in April and it is currently housing about 250 candidates for parole. There are two phases to the center's program.

The first phase of the program is 14 weeks of intensive inpatient drug abuse treatment and counseling. The second phase is the educational component.

The educational component is overseen by Alabama Southern Community College under a contract with the state. Educational opportunities include GED preparation and job skills training, like electrical work, welding and carpentry. Some college courses will also be offered.

The two newest buildings at the center house the classrooms and workshops for the educational and job skill training. Completion of the second phase takes about 15 weeks. Upon completion of the second phase, the prisoner is then released to his home area for the standard parole.

Inmates come to the center in groups of about 75. The first group of inmates was brought to the facility nearly as soon as it opened.

Morgan said the center is about 80 percent complete for its initial use, but plans are in the works to expand the facility to accommodate 450 prisoners. To do that, the center will have to expand its dormitories and the cafeteria and adding a multi-use facility.

All the cottages are also being used by the center. "About five of the cottages are being used for group counseling and other serve as spaces for different religious groups," Morgan said. Plans also call for one of the cottages to be turned into a library. The rest serve as officers quarters.

LIFE Tech currently employs about 21 full-time positions. Adding contract positions and security personnel, the total rises to nearly 70 employees. Most were from the Thomasville area and about half were former employees of the state mental health and rehabilitation center that formerly occupied the site, Morgan said.

Now that the center is starting to come into its own, it has begun reaching out tot he community. "We've had a good response from the community," Morgan said. "A lot of people have called who want to get involved." Several church groups around the area have already begun helping the prisoners with their spiritual lives.

In addition to asking for help, the center is also trying to offer help. LIFE Tech parolees helped with the new plantings around Thomasville recently. "A big part of the program is community interaction and taking on community projects," Morgan said. "We noticed in Wetumpka, that was a big part of the success of the program there."

The community work also helps ease the transition away from prison, he added.

Mayor Sheldon Day recently offered compliments to the center, appreciative for the center's willingness to help with community projects.

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