PHOTO RELEASE: Lt. Gov. Aruna Miller Joins Maryland Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services Sec. Scruggs to Visit ‘Second Chances Farm’ Re-Entry Program

Re-Entry Programs like Second Chances Critical to Moore-Miller Administration’s All-of-the-Above Approach to Public Safety

ANNAPOLIS, MD – Yesterday, Lieutenant Governor Miller joined Maryland Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services Secretary Carolyn J. Scruggs and department officials to visit Second Chances Horse Farm to highlight the successful reentry programs offered by the program.

Second Chances Farm operates as a unique partnership between Maryland Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services and the Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation, giving incarcerated individuals the opportunity to work with retired race horses on the farm, where they learn in-demand horse grooming skills that can prepare them for a job upon release.
“Re-entry programs like Second Chances are vital to an all-of-the-above approach to public safety as they help incarcerated individuals return to society as good stewards of service,” said Lt. Gov. Miller. “This one-of-a-kind partnership between the State of Maryland and the Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation is making our state stronger. By investing in stronger communities, we can build a safer, more prosperous Maryland.”

More than 30 inmates have graduated since Second Chances Farm opened in 2009. The incarcerated persons learn important “soft” skills such as patience. Once released from incarceration, the students can pursue related careers in the horse industry. The program also provides assistance to graduates in finding employment at horse farms, training facilities, etc. Second Chances is one of only nine inmate-tended thoroughbred retirement farms in the nation.

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