By Katharine Murphy

The Livingston County Jail is looking at expanding but it has nothing to do with bricks and mortar.

The GED program will be increased to allow more inmates to participate.

Livingston County Sheriff Tony Childress and Livingston County Jail Superintendent Bill Cox explain that an important goal of the GED expansion was to reduce rates of recidivism by giving those within the criminal justice system an opportunity of an education.

The jail’s GED program is just one year old and when it started only three inmates at a time were allowed to participate.

An inmate benefit fund allowed the purchase of four new tablets which lets any detainee interested in furthering their education to take part.

Officials expect an average of six participants at a time in the program going forward.

The hope is by offering more opportunities for the confined they will see fewer repeat offenders.