The Department of Social Sciences at Cameron University will feature “Justice for All: The R.I.S.E. Program,” a collaboration between the Oklahoma State Board of Cosmetology and the Oklahoma Department of Corrections. Christie Luther, founder and executive director of the R.I.S.E. Program, will be joined by graduates of the program to share success stories in presentations at 2 p.m. and at 6 p.m. on Thursday, April 8, in the McCasland Ballroom.
The presentations are open to the public, although seating is limited due to COVID-19 precautions. Social distancing will be observed, and facial coverings are required. The presentations will also be live-streamed on the Oklahoma Sports Network.
Luther, who presented information on the R.I.S.E. Program (the first cosmetology school in a women’s prison in Oklahoma) with the Cameron community in 2019, will offer highlights of the program’s success. The R.I.S.E. Program is designed to meet the needs of female inmates through programs and classes during incarceration and re-entry assistance/aftercare.
The cosmetology program has been offered at Mabel Bassett Correctional Center since 2017. Through the free program, eligible inmates are trained by licensed cosmetology master instructors. Those who complete the program are eligible to be licensed by the Oklahoma Board of Cosmetology. The R.I.S.E. Program assists with job placement after discharge and family reunification, as well as finding secure housing, clothing and other needed resources.
Justice for All: The R.I.S.E. Program is made possible through the GEO Group Endowed Lectureship in Criminal Justice and Sociology.
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PR# 21-029
