MARYVILLE, TN — Blount County Jail’s recent expansion of Orijin’s managed learning platform, delivered via safe and secure tablets, is transforming reentry, rehabilitation, and recovery efforts.
Sheriff’s Deputy Mark Ellis highlighted the profound impact of Orijin’s nearly 200 tablets, which provide access to over 60 hours of educational content, equipping justice-impacted individuals with essential skills for successful reentry.
Sheriff Ellis shared that the program’s success lies in its ability to maintain accountability and foster growth. “I can assign a tablet to a learner, and not a single one—out of 193—has come back damaged from abuse,” he said. Furthermore, data shows a remarkable drop in recidivism rates among first-time offenders, from 37% before the program to just 15% afterward. “It speaks for itself,” he says.
The program’s success stories include Jackie McCullough, a former justice-impacted individual who credited the classes and Orijin’s resources with saving her life. After completing Moral Recognition Therapy (MRT) and certificate programs via the tablets, she said, “Now you’ve got goals, understanding, insight, and a lot of internal change you can apply to your everyday life.” McCullough is now three years sober and pursuing her GED.
Orijin is an integral part of Blount County’s mission to offer a “corrective and supportive role,” according to Ellis, emphasizing the importance of second chances.
Click HERE to learn more on how Orijin’s technology is reshaping corrections in Blount County,
