Its graduation day for inmates preparing for their release from the Peoria County Jail [Video]

PEORIA (25News Now) – At the Peoria County Jail, four men just graduated from a program to prepare them to re-enter society.

The ten-week course put on by Elite Community Outreach teaches inmates anger management and conflict resolution. Elite has been running this program in the jail for three years.

“I‘ve learned that being honest is a key point. You have to be honest. If you want to change, you have to let it take place and figure out what you want to do because you’re dealing with other people’s lives,” said Carl Clifton, a graduate of the program.

The students were hand-picked by Sheriff Chris Watkins.

“I know [they] are going to do the right thing, make the right decisions,” Watkins said, “They’re going to get out and be better members of society because we don’t want them back here.”

Some of the inmate graduates once participated in Elite’s school programs for sixth to ninth graders.

“I …