Programs & Vocational Training at Martinez Detention: What Your Loved One Can Participate In and How It Helps

Contra Costa County Custody Services describes the mission of Inmate Programs and Services as meeting a variety of needs of incarcerated individuals, with the goal of reducing the impact of crime on the community. For families, the practical takeaway is straightforward: when your loved one engages with classes and structured training, it's meant to support better choices, stronger stability, and safer outcomes after release.

The Sheriff's Office notes that inmate services and programs are primarily funded through the Inmate Welfare Fund (IWF). This matters because program availability depends on resources. Offerings can shift over time based on funding and staffing.

• ✓ Sale of commissary items
• ✓ Inmate Industry operations

One program the Sheriff's Office lists is DEUCE, which combines substance abuse support with anger and stress management, plus job development. If your loved one is struggling with the same patterns that contributed to the arrest, this kind of structured program is often where they can start building healthier coping skills while preparing for work.

Computer applications training is also listed, including web design. For many people, even basic computer skills can boost job readiness after custody. Web design offers a concrete, portfolio-style skill if your loved one sticks with it.

On the education side, the Sheriff's Office lists Adult Basic Education, ESL (English as a Second Language), and GED or high school diploma preparation and testing. These are building blocks that can open more doors later. Your loved one might use them to qualify for better work, move into vocational training, or keep up with paperwork and requirements after release.

For hands-on vocational experience, the Sheriff's Office lists Inmate Industries, including a Sign/Engraving Shop and a Frame Shop. Work in these shops involves production skills like engraving, vinyl banners, interior and exterior signs, sublimation, framing, and matting. If your loved one does well with practical, task-based learning, this kind of shop setting can be a strong fit. It builds routine, accuracy, and real-world production habits.

Families often want to know whether program participation helps after release. For Inmate Industries, vocational instructors can provide letters of recommendation for released inmates seeking employment. That letter becomes one more concrete piece your loved one can use when applying for work, especially if they can point to consistent participation and learned skills.

Another training option described by the Sheriff's Office is the Landscape Program. It focuses on practical horticulture and grounds skills: soil preparation, planting, and maintaining trees, shrubs, bushes, flowers, grass, and other ground covers. It also includes irrigation system maintenance, a valuable skill set in many outdoor maintenance jobs.

The Landscape Program also teaches participants to operate various landscaping equipment properly and safely. If your loved one is considering this route, safety training is a meaningful plus. It supports employability and reduces the chance of getting removed from a program for preventable mistakes.

1. Confirm what’s currently offered at Martinez. The Sheriff’s Office lists programs that may be available at one or more facilities, so ask which classes and vocational options (like DEUCE and GED or high school diploma prep) are running now.
2. Ask how enrollment works. Get the current schedule, how your loved one signs up from housing, and whether there is a waitlist.
3. Check any eligibility or resource limits. Programs are primarily funded through the Inmate Welfare Fund (IWF), so availability can depend on resources. Ask if there are custody-level limits or other participation requirements.