January 08, 2025 – At the Gwinnett County Sheriff’s Office (GCSO), Sheriff Keybo Taylor is expanding the work of the Gwinnett Reentry Intervention Program (GRIP). Individuals in custody can learn and practice skills to earn work related certificates such as Basic Animal Handler and Grounds Maintenance. Employment partnerships include Russell Landscaping. In an innovative practice that could become a model for the nation, GCSO has partnered with the Gwinnett County Judiciary to establish rules so individuals can receive credit towards their community service hours for this service. This provides an incentive and reward for individuals to work in the jail, and smooths their transition back to society.”
The “Back Your Blue” podcast recently hosted the GRIP Project Manager, Joey Stafford, to learn more about this important and restorative work. GRIP was started in 2012, initially as a housing referral service to help people leaving jail find a safe place to live. Since then, it has grown into a model for cross-system planning and service delivery, with Acivilate’s Pokket as the management platform. GRIP also helps individuals incarcerated in the Gwinnett County Jail and in the community access services such as:
- Transportation
- Emergency Housing
- Reentry Case Planning
- Therapeutic Community Programming
Sheriff Taylor’s expansion of GRIP is a prime example of how the Gwinnett County Sheriff’s Office is providing a safe and humane environment for incarcerated individuals to protect the public and staff through modern and innovative jail techniques.
To listen to the podcast, please follow this link: Back Your Blue Podcast.