Braille From Beyond the Walls
Full Cell Braille, Inc Vocational Training
Making the world more accessible
What we do
educate
In general, people in U.S. prisons have less education than the general population. In 2004, 36% of individuals in state prisons had less than a high school diploma. An effective Braille Transcriber needs to be trained in a multitude of skills including technology, formatting and transcription.
rehabilitate
Professionals who participate in prison-based vocational training programs are 36% less likely to reoffend compared with inmates who do not, therefore, reducing incarceration costs by 12.9%. Studies have shown that vocational training is even more effective than academic certificates at helping professionals get jobs upon release.
prepare
The skills and experience that are gained through the Braille From Beyond the Walls make our professionals employable for life which makes the workforce stronger and contributes to the economy in a tangible way. Braille transcription is in high demand which highlights the need for this program.
why training programs are important to states
assists the economy
Vocational training programs reduce facility costs by nearly $1 million by lowering recidivism rates. Also, they provide critical materials for people with vision loss to gain an education and become autonomous members of the workforce.
fulfills needed positions
The projected need for braille transcribers is estimated to be over 1,000 positions in the next five years. Only half of the current transcribers are certified and most are volunteers which leaves students with lower quality materials.
makes the state more equitable
There is a significant shortage of braille transcribers throughout the country. Because of this shortage, blind and visually impaired schoolchildren go weeks and sometimes months without the textbooks that their sighted peers have for their core or elective classes.
Creative Use of Braille Award
The Creative Use of Braille Award is given in recognition of a product, idea, method, or promotional effort that increases the availability or awareness of braille. It is not given annually but only when an idea, service, or program rises to an important level. In 2016, John Romeo received the award for creating Braille From Beyond the Walls, a program which allows incarcerated men and women to make training presentations via video conferencing to national audiences attending braille conferences.