Pulaski County Detention Center helps inmates get second chance after incarceration

SOMERSET, Ky. (FOX 56) — When Anthony McCollum became jailer at the Pulaski County Detention Center in 2018, he set out to give back to the community—and to make sure inmates leaving jail didn’t end up back behind bars.

McCollum told FOX 56, “One of the things that we came up with was being able to develop these work programs to be able to teach them how to do the basic skills, give them certificates to be able to gain employment once they leave the facility.”

That’s how the Inmate Work Detail was born.

Dozens have completed the program, earning certifications in welding, safe food handling for restaurant jobs, and even obtaining their GEDs.

The program also connects them to the community. Back in May, inmates were out helping clean up just hours after a tornado tore through the area.

McCollum said, “I think it gives them a sense of pride and a sense of purpose.”

But for inmates, it’s about more than pride. It’s about a second chance.

Isaac Dunlap, an inmate who has been at the detention center for 24 months, told FOX 56 he hoped society would view him as a potential asset to the community when he’s released, thanks to this program.

“When I get out, maybe people won’t judge a book by its cover. That they’ll actually be willing to look at me and say, ‘Well, he’s actually got some experience. He’s knowing what he’s doing. He’s got his head on his shoulders.”

Dakota Young, another inmate who has been serving his sentence for the past 23 months, said, “It makes me feel good knowing that I can accomplish something like that, you know what I mean? And it helps a lot in the future getting jobs and stuff as long as they can look past the felony charges.”

McCollum says employers willing to give these men and women a fresh start can reach out directly to the detention center.