Barry Allen

Prog. Coord  VCI

Over the past three years, Barry Allen has incorporated the Workforce Development Program into the Furniture Shop at Northern State Correctional Facility in Newport.  In times past, Vermont Correctional Industries  focused primarily on production almost to the exclusion of anything else.  As in other VCI shops, Mr. Allen would hire the best suited offenders with the best work histories and longest time to serve.  His program now has an entirely new focus and purpose.  Nowadays he now hires and focuses efforts on short term, problem offenders with poor work histories.  It has completely changed the way he has to run his production operation and completely changed the way he interacts with both staff and offenders…and it has not been easy.

Of all VCI shops, the Furniture Shop is perhaps the most challanging when it comes to production and the mantaining of quality.  There are many different hands that work on each high quality piece of furniture that is produced and there are a million ways for things to go wrong.  Mr. Allen has shown exceeding patience and with great persistance has made the successful transition to this new work force and new purpose.  Mr. Allen has seen the benefits of the Workforce Development Program for the offender and is making a real difference in the lives of offenders through its application.  Instead of looking for things that offenders do wrong, he is commited to finding them doing things correctly.  He understands fully that these offenders are truly the most important products that will ever leave his shop.