PLAINFIELD — Nearly two dozen Central Indiana businesses were recently represented at the first Plainfield Re-Entry Educational Facility Opportunity Fair, which was more than twice as many as had been expected.

Becky Branham, Interlocal Association program director at the Greenfield office, is one of many people assisting the PREF business outreach program, designed to introduce local business operators to the opportunities there. The PREF program, she said, makes her job easier by providing skilled laborers with a wide range of professional training.

Branham said since the program is new, nobody knew what type of response to expect from employers, but they were pleased with the final results.

“We started with a really high goal of getting five to 10 employers here, and we ended up with 20 or 22,” she said. “That makes us hopeful the word is getting out to anybody who wants to hear about the opportunity they have to tap into this already trained labor pool.”

PREF is the nation’s first facility designed specifically to re-introduce individuals newly released from the Indiana Department of Corrections into the labor market. It is only open to those serving their last 24 to six months in prison.

In the past, once someone had served their time at a state prison they were given a small stipend of cash, put on a bus back to their hometown, and sent on their way. These individuals often found themselves with an outdated skills set, blackballed by employers afraid to risk hiring an ex-convict, and unable to support themselves. As a result, many returned to crime because it was the only opportunity they were familiar with.

Mike Lloyd, superintendent of PREF, told the group that assembled for last week’s presentation that he has spent the majority of his career with the department of corrections and once took a much tougher stance when it came to incarcerated individuals.

“My opinion used to be, lock them up and throw away the key,” he said. “But then I would see these guys later on the outside, and wonder, are they prepared to be out here? Did I do everything I could to get these guys ready to be on their own?”

Lloyd has since embraced a new way of thinking that favors education and preparation over perpetual punishment. Failure to prepare these individuals to re-join society, he said, is like putting them right back on the path to re-offend.

“We want to give these people an opportunity to show they can be productive again, that they have a second chance and are not defined by what they did, but by who they are,” he said. “It’s not about being soft on crime. It’s really all about public safety.”

Since taking over at PREF this past summer, Lloyd has made strides in improving communication between the facility and the surrounding community and hopes to further spread the word that his door is open to questions. Employers should not be concerned about anyone they hire who has been through the PREF program, he said, because the goal is to show how successful these individuals can be, not set them up for failure.

“D.O.C. has not always done the best job of communicating what was going on, but I want every employer to know I am opening the doors,” he said. “We will share whatever information we are permitted to share under the law. No surprises down the road.”

Shelle Westrick, with the Department of Workforce Development, is permanently assigned to the PREF program as a job developer. It’s her job to match employers with employees trained through the PREF program. Helping residents write resumes, prepare for interviews, and maintain a professional demeanor is just a small part of what she does. She’s only been on the job eight weeks and the program is still not yet in full swing, but already four employees have been placed.

Westrick said the program will need at least three years of placements before it can be judged successful or not, though she feels it’s already heading in the right direction.

“At this point, I think we’re already successful,” she said. “We’ve placed four people in jobs and we’ve only just started.”

Mark King is a human resources manager at the HomeGoods distribution center in Brownsburg. He said his company is not ready to commit to the program, but is intrigued by the idea.

“We have some company guidelines to follow when it comes to hiring new employees but individuals who have been incarcerated are not barred from getting a job at HomeGoods,” he said. “This is kind of an interesting idea and we look forward to learning more.”

To learn more about hiring a PREF resident, or more about the PREF program itself, call the facility at 839-7751.