Here in Nevada the average inmate has a very high recidivism rate. Typically, inmates serve their sentences and are released into the community without learning any skills or a trade they can rely on to support themselves or their families. Without a sustainable source of income, they return to a life of crime.

The Media Arts Studio (MAS) is a prototype, training program that is part of the God Behind Bars re-entry program. The studio is located within the Florence McClure Women’s Correctional Center in North Las Vegas. The Media Arts Studio trains inmates to work in the fields of graphic arts, web design, animation, and video production while providing high-quality, low-cost media services to the community. Our goal is to equip participants with a skill set that is highly marketable so that MAS alumni never return to crime. Our goal is a 0% recidivism rate.

Inmates who participate in our program learn business practices and ethics along with design principles and software programs. Our employees make a two-year commitment to the program. During the first few months, employees learn about behaviors that are valued, such as integrity, cooperation, and a positive attitude. Technical training is split between the video department and the graphics department. Training is provided by employees who have already mastered the section of software they are teaching. Participants then gain practical experience working on customer projects. At the end of two years, our employees will be prepared for a professional career, not just a job.

Using the skills they have learned, our design teams create a variety of products. Our video department produces animated videos from start to finish for commercials, training videos, and other purposes. Our graphics department creates advertisements, letterhead, logos, and business cards. Our design teams also create animations and build and maintain web sites. All these services are available to the community at an affordable price.

Now, we are looking for partners in the business sector to help us better our program. We want to bring in leading professionals who can share current knowledge with us, who can help us keep up with what’s relevant as we strive for excellence. We would like to have industry leaders provide training in graphic design, web design, animation, and video production. We are looking for donations of top-of-the-line equipment and software so that our employees will be technologically current with industry leaders. We are exploring the possibility of internships for our employees, both while they are still working at the Media Arts Studio and also when they are released from the correctional facility. We aspire to serve the business sector by providing sought-after professionals who are ready for hire.