Drawing from his upbringing on an Indiana farm, Sheriff Brad Burkhart’s philosophy is grounded in the idea of “planting seeds of hope and opportunity” for those incarcerated individuals under his watch in Hancock County. With over 38 years of experience in law enforcement, Sheriff Burkhart shares his journey and has seen firsthand that in corrections, there is a need to prepare the ground for individuals to grow and thrive, just like the seeds he planted as a young farm boy. One such preparation is the utilization of the Orijin tablets, which provide incarcerated individuals access to educational resources and vocational training, thus fostering hope and opportunity. It is the transformative power of the tablet initiative, along with other programs behind the wall, that is creating a positive impact and reducing recidivism in the Hancock County community.

There aren’t many people who can transition from incarceration for a white-collar crime to CEO of an established educational nonprofit, but then again, Jeff Abramowitz is unlike most people you’ll ever meet. As CEO of the critically acclaimed Petey Green Program, Jeff discusses the transformative power of education for incarcerated and formerly incarcerated individuals, a firsthand experience he gained when going from a successful trial lawyer to incarceration for a white collar crime. It was that experience, behind the wall, that shaped his commitment, upon his release, to helping others overcome the challenges of reentry into society. Tune in to hear Jeff talk about the importance of understanding choices, the impact of educational programs, and how to break the cycle of poverty and incarceration.