Santa Maria, Calif. – On Tuesday, August 12, 2025, the Sheriff’s Office Programs Unit and Allan Hancock College celebrated a major academic achievement for 63 incarcerated students at the Northern Branch Jail (NBJ). These students successfully completed college-level courses, proving that education can be a powerful force for change, no matter where you are in life.

The graduates were recognized for their work in a wide range of subjects, including BUS 389: Customer Service Series, ECS 100: Child Growth and Development, FCS 131: Life Management, HUSV 101: Introduction to Human Services, and HUSV 110: Alcohol, Other Drugs & Addiction.

Since the first NBJ college courses launched in March 2022, more than 80 classes have been offered on-site. Allan Hancock College provides a robust and rotating catalog of courses for NBJ students, while Santa Barbara City College does the same for Main Jail students. These programs, coordinated by the Sheriff’s Office Programs Unit, help participants build confidence, develop job skills, embrace sobriety, and gain the tools to be productive, responsible members of society after release.

Sheriff Bill Brown said, “Education is one of the most powerful tools we can offer to people incarcerated in our jail system. Through our partnerships with Allan Hancock College and Santa Barbara City College, incarcerated students can take courses in a wide range of classes on subjects that can help them better understand themselves, and that better prepare them for a return to the community. They aren’t just earning certificates, they are building new futures. Each class completed represents another step away from past mistakes and towards a life with purpose, stability, and opportunity. That’s good for them, for their families, and for the safety of our community as a whole.”