LSJ offers new program

LSJ offers new program Brian Smith Wed, 02/07/2024 - 3:30 pm   Cedric Fielder, back row, poses with Lindsey State Jail Community Relations meeting Jan. 31. Fielder, an inmate who is a life coach, spoke about a life skills program at the jail that he taught. The first class of 15 graduates finished the course recently. Courtesy photo Cedric Fielder had what many consider to be “the life.” He had a career working with the avoidance of domestic violence, a nice family, a good home but Fielder admitted inside he was “a hot mess” which led to his domestic violence charges and him going to prison. Fielder, an inmate who spoke at the Lindsey State Jail Community Relations Meeting Jan. 31, said he knew he wanted to get his life back but didn’t know how. Fielder was selected by LSJ administration to be part of the Cognitive Life Skills program which was created in 2005. Fielder became the instructor of a similar class at LSJ which recently had its first class of 15 graduate. Fielder says being an instructor of such a class to instill positive and changed behaviors puts you under a microscope with not only the administration but the residents. The program consists of 31 days, 90-minute sessions where Fielder talks about changing behaviors in ways involving substance abuse and mental health first aid. He said the program is not a cure for those issues but provides a way for people to cope. “It gives them the tools and the ability to use them,” Fielder said. “It’s like a hammer. It’s just steel and wood unless you give it a nail.” Fielder says he walks the units, talking to residents that need it on a 24-7 basis. He said he noticed a shift in the mindset of the group from the first day, teaching inmates to respond to a situation instead of reacting to it. “On the first day we ask them what is one behavior they want to change,” Fielder explained. “We revisit the change on day 31 and how they planned on reaching their goals.” Fielder said he had several inmates tell him that were skeptical at first that the program was beneficial. “They wanted to make sure their kids won’t make the same mistakes they did.” Fielder said he didn’t know what shape he’d be in if he hadn’t arrived at Lindsey and be asked to go through the program. A new program getting started at LSJ is called Coaches Corner, an informal way to share a range of different topics that meets twice a month. “The program is not to make people ready to go home,” Fielder said. “It’s to make them prepared to go home.”