calf by J.R. Freeman be. foot. work with them. gramming. ‘““That agreement carried some fringe benefits,”” he re- calls, “Of which I see this pro- gram as one.” Gone are the days, the super- intendent explains, when pri- soners are taught no more skill than to make license plates. society there is no place for them to use that skill. To station manager Strimel, public broadcasting means many things, none of which are more important than relating to all the people and community interests. When he first learned there was a chance for such a while Jeffrey Grant, 44’s instructional services program, he pursued the re- habilitation concept with vigor. “The process of complete dedication in educational televi- sion just doesn’t stop at over- the-air programming. We are an educational institution with facilities available to allow people to develop skills in the communications industry,” Mr. Strimel said while stressing that Channel 44’s new public broadcasting center near Pitts- ton is a “‘place to which people come to learn, get involved, and serve the community.” As he worked with his instruc- tional services director Jeffrey Grant and Supt. Mack to send a few of the SCID residents to Channel 44 for training, Mr. Strimel displayed the same optimism with which he had surrounded himself for four years while planning and finally building the region’s first public broadcasting center—’ $600,000 plus broadcasting institution for TV and radio and regarded as one of the finest: public: televi sion buildings in the country: “Working with Chase re- sidents is truly community in- volvement...this is real involve- ment. Television programming is important, but it’s not our en- tire job. This station is not going Lo sit back and send stuff over the air as its only purpose. We sought out and welcomed the opportunity to participate in training and rehabilitation of a few SCID young men,” Mr. Strimel pointed out. The 44 executive noted that no other television station in the area has such a commitment to rehabilitative training pro- gram. “Nobody is moving in this direction,” he says, “but I pray the success we can make of this pilot job-training project will lead others in business and industry to consider active par- ticipation.” While their duties vary ac- cording to their own interests and talents, the three SCID resi- dents now working at Channel 44 are chiefly cameramen. They work side-by-side with the Channel 44 professionals, enjoy SCID Supt. Leonard Mack, their coffee breaks together, and prove to be good listeners ‘when work instructions are de- tailed. Mr. Strimel notes that Channel 44 staffers, both men and women, as citizens, are ex- posed perhaps for the first time to prison inmates. What citizens see are people attempting to de- monstrate their concern for their fellow man by partici- pating in community service. Instructional director Grant, who directs 44’s in-classroom services to some 200,000 young- sters in more than 40 schools, worked diligently in the arrangements for the training program at 44. His awareness of such a training possibility be- gan when he visited SCID to en- roll the institution in the Channel 44 educational pro- gramming. The entire inmate population is a Channel 44 Ed- TV member, thanks to the ef- forts of Supt. Mack. Mr. Grant and Atty. Charles Boller; also of the 44 educational team, point out that programs such as this one puts the rehabilitated back into the civilian world by exposing them to real situations and to an atmosphere which is similar to the one in which they will be expected to function after their parole and release. The inmates are gradually exposed to society rather than abruptly propelled into it; thus, cultural shock is reduced or altogether eliminated. In addition, the alienation between the offender and the civilian community is minimized, thus lessening the probability of future anti-social or criminal behavior. At the station the three trainees are on a one-to-one There are no guards or coun- selors because none are necessary. The men are full- time employes and are treated with the respect which they deserve. Mr. Grant points out that the Channel 44 staff, from the start, has been in favor of the program and has done much to make the men feel wanted and welcome at the studio. The trio is aware of their responsibilities and realize that they promote the smooth functioning of the station by providing services which 44 depends upon. The three men are learning a trade which may later benefit them upon release from prison, while adding to their general knowledge of television and radio. Two of the three are enrolled in a TV-radio repair course at SCID and will significantly profit from their first-hand experience at WVIA. Mr. Grant and Atty. Boller point out that the inmates are being given a chance to prove themselves and to regain any lost self-respect. They are learning they can indeed hold a regular job position while functioning among the civilian populace. “WVIA hopes to become a vehicle by which these in- dividuals can establish them- selves as responsible, productive, law-abiding citizens, the 44 staffers agreed. As cameramen, the three SCID residents work mostly under the supervision of 44’s senior director, Peter Brewer. Paul Evanosky, 44’s chief engineer, is one of the other 44 executives working closely with one of the inmates. Mr. Evanosky, despite a whirlwind work schedule involving the recent move of 44 from studios in Scranton to the new facility, along with putting 44 into the FM radio business, has made Mr. Bruneio his administrative aide. As such, Mr. Bruneio keeps the equipment inventory, prepares orders for replacement parts, - files technical data and works as a camerman on 44's local productions. “I've never met a more dedicated or conscientious worker. He’s happy to be at 44 and we are happy to have him,” the chief engineer stressed. While = the three SCID residents may have completely different personalities and ideas of the penal system, they are unanimous in wanting to exert every effort to make this cessful. “The entire eyes of the dh population are upon us,” one of the men confided. ‘Everybody there, from the inmates to the officials, want us to make a success of this new pilot job- training program. We are determined to make it work.” If this pilot project at 44 is successful, the SCID residents know there is a good possibility that other business, industry or groups will join the rehabilitation program and accept more inmates into their work lives. During their tenure at. 44 the inmates will be paid $1 per day for their work from prison funds. But more importantly, as Mr. Bruneio explained, “I was apprehensive about working at 44. 1 wondered how the people would treat us. Well, they're just great. We are being treated like human beings.” In civilian life Mr. Bruneio was a machinist for Ingersol- Rand. He is studying a college accounting course and knews there are many job op- portunities in the broadcast industry, including engineering and administrative. Begining his second year behind prison walls, he had been outside once, during a special ‘furlough because of illness in his family, in addition Wyoming Valley. Mr. Bruneio’s counterpart, Greg Ward has similar ideas about the 44 project. “We have to sell the public that we can be trusted in such away-from- prison jobs.’ He likewise agrees that ‘he has been fully accepted by the 44 employes: Looking forward to the time of his release, Mr. Ward says “I’m looking forward to something better in my life.” As operator of the loud speaker system and video tape recorders for the prison, Clarence Ressel, 30, has a built- in interest in the work he’s now doing. He has taken a radio-TV repair course and a course on small appliance repairing. He works in the electrical shop at the institution and is seeking his third class radio license. Mr. Ressel is particularly happy about working at 44 on the vocational program due to 44’s entry in FM radio. Page 5 Channel 44’s engineer Paul Evanosky, left, checks video tape recorder in the station’s master control room with SCID resident Bruneio, who is serving as a production assistant to Mr Evanosky. ; \
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