Inmates at the Deschutes County Jail can complete more than a sentence during their stay at the county lockup.

Since September, the county Sheriff’s Office has provided qualified inmates the opportunity to take the General Educational Development test to receive a high school equivalency certificate.

In the past, inmates were offered tutoring for the test, but they weren’t able to take it on-site, according to sheriff’s Captain Michael Espinoza.

“We usually have between eight and nine inmates on a consistent basis who take part in the tutoring process,” Espinoza said. “The GED program being offered to inmates is consistently full to capacity, and the Sheriff’s Office is committed to supporting those who want to obtain a GED through funding tutorial services and the test.”

Espinoza said tutoring costs $25 per hour and the test costs $155. The costs for both are budgeted and paid for by the department and cost the inmates nothing.

“We get a lot of folks who ask why we would allow inmates to get this service,” Espinoza said. “We want to be good stewards with the resources our community provides us. And by providing high-quality programs to persons in custody, we are hopefully encouraging them to improve their lives and not end up in custody again.”

Inmates are screened for eligibility and selected to participate based on their desire to complete the program, their ability to demonstrate initiative, their general conduct and their conduct with the tutors and test proctors, Espinoza said.

Five inmates have received their GED diplomas since the program began. One other inmate has taken the test and the results are pending. If inmates do not pass the test the first time they’re able to retest.

“We want them to feel proud of their accomplishment and realize that what they’re doing during their incarceration is going to benefit their lives in the future,” Espinoza said. “We hear often that getting their GED has been a goal for a while but they didn’t have the motivation and encouragement they needed to get it done.”

Espinoza said the program helps not only the inmate, but also the inmate’s family. Those who complete the program are more likely to find jobs and less likely to become a recidivist, he said.

State prisons afford inmates the same opportunity, said Marissa Wilson, public information officer at Deer Ridge Correctional Institution in Madras. Research shows that having a GED diploma does reduce the likelihood of criminal behavior, she said Friday.

“This provides people with a sense of pride when they tell their loved ones they got their GED,” Espinoza said. “Often what lands them in custody has been a disappointment to their families, and this is a way to show their family they’re working hard.”