Richard A. Handlon Correctional Facility (MTU)
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Ionia County
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The Richard A. Handlon Correctional Facility was named after the prison's first warden. The philosophy of MTU is that a prisoner who has completed the GED and learned a marketable skill has a much better chance of becoming a contributing member of society. The facility houses general population prisoners, along with other prisoners who have been placed in the Adaptive Skills Residential Program (ASRP) and the Residential Treatment Program (RTP). The ASRP is for prisoners who have significant limitations in adaptive functioning due to a developmental disability or chronic brain disorder. The RTP is for Prisoners with a mental illness, whose mental health needs cannot be managed in a general population setting. These prisoners require medication, group and individual treatment for symptom management and improvement.
The major program emphasis at the facility revolves around academic, vocational education, and special education. The facility houses the Vocational Village (VV) - a first-of-its-kind skilled trades training program that aims to provide a positive learning community for prisoners who are serious about completing career and technical education. Beyond training the prisoners in demand-driven trades, staff at the facility work with employers and community partners to actively assist graduates of the VV program in their employment goals. Many graduates of the VV have employment arrangements prior to leaving the facility on parole. Also, the academic program is framed with the GED continuum, including Adult Basic Education and GED preparation as well as the Calvin University, Calvin Prison Initiative program that provides liberal arts education in ministry leadership. Supplements are Job Skills, Health Education and Independent Living Skills. Work socialization to assist prisoner workers in meeting community standards is an ongoing part of routine work assignments. A double chain-link fence, concertina wire and electronic detection systems make up the perimeter security.
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