For 48 inmates of the Federal Correctional Institution in Safford the mock job fair held last week was a significant step in their preparation for life on the outside.

The job fair, staged in the prison’s chapel, gave inmates a chance to participate in a simulated job interview and then receive feedback on their interview skills.

The fair featured mostly fictitious companies and a few local businesses that set up tables manned by an interviewer. Each inmate brought a copy of his resume and participated in two 10-minute interviews.

Joyce Flamm, left, receives awards on behalf of the Cancer Resource Center at the West Division Leadership Summit in Reno, Nev. Contributed photo

Jeff Toney, superintendent of education at the prison, said inmates who participated in the mock job fair are expected to be released within the next year or two. After successfully completing a job skills class, these inmates were ready for the next step - practicing what they learned.

Finding a job is an important part of preventing repeat offenses.

“If they have meaningful employment a year after release, it’s highly correlated to not coming back to prison,” Toney said.

One interviewer was Jennifer McPherson, the spouse of a prison staff member. She was representing Sonoran Interiors, a real business that is not located in the Gila Valley. She talked about the interview process.

“I want to know what they’ve done inside to make themselves job worthy,” she said.

She also asks each inmate what type of crime he’s committed and if he has received counseling or drug treatment. McPherson said several inmates were visibly uncomfortable talking about their crimes.

McPherson makes a notation of how each inmate presented himself in the interview. She also offers suggestions for improvement on an evaluation form. Each prisoner receives a copy of the evaluation so he knows what areas to work on when he prepares for a real job interview. The evaluations also include a critique of each inmate’s resume.

Prison spokeswoman Eloisa De Bruler said participation in the program by local businesses helps the institution prepare inmates for reintegration into society.

Most inmates who are released from prison do not remain in the area, Toney said. Instead, most spend time in a halfway house to allow them time to find employment.