UTICA — The Workforce Investment Board of Herkimer, Madison & Oneida Counties in Utica received a $1.5 million U.S. Department of Labor grant to provide employment and support services for previously incarcerated females as they transition back into their communities.
The grant is among nine grants totaling just over $12 million awarded across the country.
“This grant is a great opportunity for these women and girls to turn their lives around,” Secretary of Labor Hilda Solis said in a news release. “These federal grants will help them obtain the job training and support services they need to positively contribute to their communities and their families.”
Two of the organizations receiving grants will work with youth while the remaining seven work with adults. The funds will help organizations provide services such as job training that leads to credentials in high-demand industries, employment preparation, mentoring, family counseling, assistance with parenting and child reunification, and support services such as housing, substance-abuse treatment, and mental-health treatment.
According to the Federal Bureau of Investigation, women accounted for 25.5 percent of all arrests in 2010, including 19.5 percent of arrests for violent crimes and 37.6 percent of all arrests for property crimes. Over the past 10 years, arrests of men have declined by 6.8 percent while arrests of women have increased by 10.5 percent.
Contact DeLore at tdelore@tmvbj.com