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Last Mile Founder Chris Redlitz on efforts to educate prisoners so they can start a business or get a job once released.
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The barber -- -- -- -- -- years right now.
The way when no one here.
She's still think there's no good news out there well this might give you some much needed inspiration and lift venture capital Chris Redlands.
He's working with these prisoners and prisoners he's teaching career skills to survive on -- outside.
And standing outside when there are released so few do you know Chris says it's good for society it's good for taxpayers and other haven't been good for the -- -- And it will save a lot of money maybe billions.
He's us right now -- I read about this saw a little bit -- this I thought.
My goodness I mean if you can just reverse the nine -- -- ten who invariably return to the slammer after getting released from the slammer.
It's it's it's everyone's benefit but what are you doing and how are you don't.
Well we're working with a select group of men and teaching them fundamental business skills.
That will prepare themselves for.
Life after they're released.
So we go through a curriculum that teaches them about technology about business.
And really about being an opt -- -- And that can either lead to them starting their own business or being confident about working with endings in existing business.
Now.
How do you select -- I don't know -- personal or does it but -- selective prisoners with whom you're going to work and -- -- -- educated.
We go -- -- pretty rigorous process.
All the men in the program have been through a variety of programs within San Quentin which is where we currently have the program.
They're also either enrolled -- of graduated through -- university which is a two year.
College program.
We go through several.
Interviews.
Written exercise and then the candidates are also approved by the prison in ministry -- Who funds hold -- Right now it's funded by us we we are sort of committed to make this happen.
It's currently in San Quentin.
But our goal is to take this to a variety of other jurisdictions.
Within California and outside California bird right now we're finding it ourselves why are you doing -- for its.
Well in a few reasons you know I was really struck by the the economics the cost of incarceration certainly within California with our country and -- and frankly before -- got involved that was not really that.
Well versed in what the challenges are but when you think about.
The cost him and incarceration -- an individual on an annual basis is 50000 dollars a year.
I think you mentioned before the recidivism rates are upwards of sixty plus percent so.
You know it's it's not as a system that's not necessarily working for rehabilitation.
And we really felt there is something we could do.
What we do -- our day jobs really is you know we're venture capitalists we also have accelerator December Cisco -- -- work with.
Expiring ought to new orders.
So the thought was could we actually take what we do every day.
In our business and translate that into prison and sort of -- create bad and it was an experiment that certainly has worked its resonated inside with the business community.
With potential employers.
So it's really been pretty incredible for us.
Most incredible lot of folks who did confirms -- aren't we dollars and go to and and it's it's up to guys like you.
With the generosity and -- -- to help bring it out and and -- those sort of resources.
Concedes success of this -- great great.
Great then you're -- thank you.
Thank you.
