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Michael D. Crews, Secretary

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Media Advisory
December 06, 2011 		For More Information
Contact: Press Office
(850) 488-0420

Reporters invited to Inmate GED Graduation Ceremony at Charlotte Correctional Institution on 12/08/11

What: 15 inmates from Charlotte Correctional Institution will be presented with their diplomas for earning GEDs on December 8, 2011, at 1:30 PM. Reporters are invited to the graduation ceremony and to film/interview the graduates and teachers, some of whom are inmates themselves. The GED test consists of five parts and is similar to a high school degree. To earn a GED, one must pass a five part test consisting of reading/language and writing (including an essay), math, social studies and science.  If you fail just one part of the test, you do not earn a GED, but can retake the part you failed at a later time.
Where: Charlotte Correctional Institution Chapel, 33123 Oil Well Road, Punta Gorda, FL 33955.
When: TIME: 1:30 PM EST on Thursday, December 8, 2011
Who: Inmates at Charlotte Correctional Institution.  Charlotte Correctional Institution is an adult male facility located in Charlotte County. It currently houses 1272 inmates ranging in custody from Community to close.
Why: Inmates have a better chance of staying out of prison if they have an education. (Studies show inmates who have a GED when released recidivate at a rate 7.9% less than inmates overall.) The number of Florida state inmates earning GED certificates has nearly doubled in three years, increasing from 1,313 in FY 2006-07 to 2,603 awarded in FY 2009-10. The increase in GEDs earned can be attributed to several factors, including more frequent testing cycles to catch problem areas early; implementing voluntary literacy programs at our work camps; and the use of trained inmate teaching assistants.
For More Information: If you’d like to attend, please contact Regional PIO Kathy Conner (772)559-4426 or e-mail: conner.kathy@mail.dc.state.fl.us, so a background check can be completed.
Directions to Prison: From I-75, near Punta Gorda, Florida, take Exit 158 to Route 41. Go south (left) approximately 5 miles to Oil Well Road. Go east for approximately 3.2 miles. Turn right to Charlotte Correctional Institution.