Prison program teaching coding, web design provides hope for new start

A new program inside a Massachusetts prison is teaching a small group of incarcerated men the tools of a new trade — coding and web design — in the hopes that it can help the men succeed when they are released.

The program is a partnership with Persevere, an organization that trains incarcerated individuals to become web developers. Persevere was founded by Sean Hosman, who launched it after being in and out of prison himself amid a struggle with addiction.

During a visit to the North Central Correctional Institution in Gardner, where the program is housed, Hosman told the eight incarcerated men enrolled that coding is just a vehicle for them to build a self-sustaining life when they are released. And, he added, it’s a reminder they can do hard things.

“I was you,” Hosman told the men, who nodded along as he spoke. “Getting out’s hard.”

Success for the Department of Correction is often judged by how successful incarcerated individuals are when they are released, according to the department’s commissioner, Shawn Jenkins. Partnering with Persevere presents a “unique opportunity” to ensure more incarcerated individuals find stable employment when they are released, he said.

To get the program off the ground, the department made a significant up-front investment — part of what Jenkins described as a mentality that “if we’re going to do this, we’re going to do it right.” The small room inside the Gardner prison is lined with desks, each with a pair of monitors on top. Incarcerated men in the program are also given their own laptops.

“We are innovative in Massachusetts,” Jenkins said. “We always say yes. We try and make these things work.”

Hosman praised the department for “walking the walk” and giving Persevere a chance.

“They’re demonstrating they’re behind what they say,” he said.

All eight of the men currently enrolled in the program are part of the department’s Building Responsible Adults through Validation and Education, or B.R.A.V.E., unit, which began in 2021 at the now-shuttered MCI-Concord. When the Concord prison closed, the program moved to Gardner.

B.R.A.V.E provides specific resources for men between 18 and 29, whose needs are different than a 65-year-old, for example, Jenkins said. He added he is a firm believer in specialized units.

Hosman called the unit a “phenomenal set of wrap-around skills.”

Among those enrolled in the program is 23-year-old Alejandro Queiroz Santana, who was convicted of driving a stolen vehicle. Santana, who is up for release next year, said he knew nothing about coding when he decided to join the program.

His primary motivation, he admitted, was that he didn’t want to be in his cell block all day. Santana and his classmates spend most of their weekdays working on projects — from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. They get homework assignments to work on outside of class.

After roughly three months, Santana said he can envision a career in coding, but maybe one where he works for himself.

“I hate not being able to do something,” he said. “Coding is something I want to learn more about.”

The small group of men in the program have grown close, even adopting a nickname — “the code avengers.” The program is “helping us figure out who we are,” Santana said.

Since the program’s launch, participants have been tasked with creating their own websites, including a webpage offering items for sale. Now Santana, who designed a website showcasing Formula 1 cars, is working to put together a portfolio.

Next up, the men will learn Java, a popular programming language that Santana said could enable him to design a game.

Learning code has helped Santana work on his problem-solving skills. In the past, he was quick to try and solve a problem before fully taking stock of the situation.

“That’s what got me here,” he said.