(WWJ) - Country music star Jelly Roll will be making an appearance at the Genesee County Jail to speak with inmates as part of Sheriff Chris Swanson's I.G.N.I.T.E. program.
Speaking live Monday on WWJ, Sheriff Swanson explained how it all came to fruition and about I.G.N.I.T.E., which is an acronym for Inmate Growth Naturally and Intentionally Through Education.
"When Jelly performed at Pine Knob," Sheriff Swanson told WWJ's Jackie Paige.
"Steve (Grunwald, from WWJ sister station, 99.5 WYCD) calls me up and says, 'Hey, I need you to do an intro video, inviting him to Genessee County, tell him what you're doin'', and I did that, it was 58 seconds, I sent it to him. THAT NIGHT, I get a video back from Jelly Roll that's now out there and he said he's coming to Flint, Michigan. But the key is, it's to show people that are locked up 'cause there's 80 million people in America that's at least one time, one hour, one day, in jail that there is hope in making better decisions and HE'S got the story of hope."
As part of the I.G.N.I.T.E. program, inmates attend school five days a week, two hours a day. Within three years, I.G.N.I.T.E. now offers over 200 courses, teaches trades, and how to build and weld, among other things, allowing inmates to work up to receiving their GED and diplomas.
Jelly Roll earned his GED (General Educational Development Test) while he was in jail after being charged as an adult for aggravated robbery at age 16.
"Man, we need more sheriffs like you," Jelly Roll said in the video, posted to the Genesee County Sheriff's Office and Sheriff Chris Swanson Facebook pages.
"We need more sheriffs like you and we need more sheriffs like our friend over there in Chesterfield County (Virginia, where he recently visited inmates). That is what's making a difference, man. We need to focus on rehabilitation and not discipline and you get it."
The singer mentioned he wants to come see the program, do a ride along, talk and play some songs, if allowed, for the inmates. The Grammy winner mentioned he wants to see how he can help further.
"It has transformed jails," Sheriff Swanson said of the program.
"We've been able to roll 'em out nationally. It's in seven states, 22 in the hopper. And, I'm gonna tell ya, Jackie, it, in the years to come, will be the national standard across America. And that's what he is going to come and show is, 'you do your part, then the world will do their part,' and it restores hope and value."
There's no word yet on exactly when Jelly Roll will be in Flint, but the sheriff promises to tell WWJ when a date has been nailed down.
To see Jelly Roll's video response, click here to head over to Sheriff Swanson's Facebook post.
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