REAL Exclusive Magazine

Barbara Richards Addresses Florida State University’s College Of Criminology And Criminal Justice.
 
Barbara Richards, Director of Project 180, recently spoke to the Graduate Student Association at The Florida State University’s College of Criminology and Criminal Justice in Tallahassee at the invitation of GSA officer Katherine Anne Taylor.

Project 180 is a startup nonprofit organization based in Sarasota whose mission is to provide safe reintegration into the community for male prisoners in Florida. Upon opening, Project 180 will offer a two year, highly structured clean-and-sober residential living environment, training in marketable job skills, and academic education to reentering prisoners.

Richards is the Founder and Director of Project 180. A former Adult Basic Education and GED teacher in the San Francisco County Jail system, Richards obtained her Master’s of Science Degree in Criminology & Criminal Justice from Florida State University in 2006.

Richards believes that engaging graduate students now in Project 180’s plans and activities will encourage them to make a meaningful impact on breaking the recidivism problem through research, knowledge and education. “By exposing younger researchers and scholars to the numbers—for example, more than 45% of Florida’s inmates test at or below a 5th grade education level—we highlight one of the most important social issues of our day to a group that will have immense influence in the near future,” says Richards. “When students hear the numbers, it becomes obvious that a reentry program like Project 180 will be critical to former prisoners’ success in the community upon release.”

Project 180 will utilize a business training school model which has successfully assisted thousands of former offenders in California reenter the community. In the Project’s business training schools, residents will learn job and business skills, communication skills and how to act in a business environment while generating revenue to support Project 180 residential life.

About Project 180 Reentry:
Project 180, A 501(C) (3) non-profit organization based in Sarasota, Florida, is a self-help reentry program for male prisoners. Upon opening, the program will offer a two year clean-and-sober living environment, training in marketable job skills, and academic education. This program will be offered at no cost to residents. For more information on Project 180, visit www.project180reentry.org or become a Facebook fan at Project180reentry, contact Barbara Richards at 850-445-5682 or via email at Barbara@project180sarasota.org. Project 180 is accepting donations at this time, which can be made securely on the website or via mail at P.O. Box 25684, Sarasota, FL 34277-2684.