New Initiative Trains Prisoners For Post-Prison Careers

DETROIT (WWJ) - It's a novel idea in the city of Detroit -- a program to train prisoners to help demolish the city's thousands of abandoned homes.

Mayor Mike Duggan says the city will be tearing down 10,000 houses over the next two years reports WWJ's Sandra McNeill.

"Everyone of those needs to have the asbestos removed before the demolition occurs - so that it does not spread to people in the neighborhood," says Duggan.

A new program involves training prisoners to do just that -- at a prison on the city's east side. The training also involves learning to remove lead from rental homes under renovation.

"I thought I was leaving with the same jacket on my shoulders - with nothing," says 37-year-old Joseph Gratiot.

He's training for his first real career after 20 years in and out of prison - admitting that he's made a lot of bad moves in his life.

"I actually feel good," said Gratiot. "I am proud of myself. I can go out there an support my family - because I never had a job that pays that much. I think the most I ever got was $10.75 -- lead assessments -- I think they are up in the $20 - $30 an hour."