development
is never telling the inmates what to do. He
always asks because “he wants them to make
the commitment.” Tucker frequently asks for
volunteers for various special projects and
always has people willing to help.
“My favorite part of the program is getting
out and having a job atmosphere rather
than being in a jail cell,” says inmate Andrew
James Becker, 34. “It helps with our job
training and gives us experience so we can
get back into working.”
Most of the people who join the program
have families but all want a chance to have a
successful future.
“We are not just housing them for their safety,
we are housing them to better themselves to
move on from jail,” says Cardenas.
Aramark’s cost for the program is roughly
$12,000 a year, depending on the number of
students, which is significantly less expensive
than the cost of having an inmate in the jail,
says Cardenas. Since February, Tucker has
not had any student return to the jail.
The class meets every Friday from 8 a.m. to
2 p.m. for 10 weeks. At the end of the course,
a graduation celebration is held in the
students’ honor, consisting of a meal planned
and prepared by the inmates themselves. The
program partners with WorkForce Solutions
and New Mexico State University. Tucker is
also in the process of trying to get college
credit for the class.
“The program is a win-win for everybody –
the inmates, the facility, the tax payers and
the restaurant employers,” says Tucker.
For more information on the In2Work Program,
please visit AramarkCorrections.com.
Paul Tucker, left, and Antonio Hijar are proud
of everything the inmates accomplish in the
In2Work program.
8 New Mexico Restaurant Association
