Going to jail and having a record can make it tough for many to find a job once they're released, which could lead them back down the wrong path, but a variety of programs at the Walton County Jail aim to train inmates and help them break the cycle.

"It's a population that has a really strong need and it has a lot of people give up on and feel like there is no hope for," Walton County Sheriff's Office Mental Health Treatment Manager Tamara Bogle said.

They may have done the crime and now they are doing the time, but officials at the Walton County Sheriff's Office hope to give some of their inmates a second chance.

"Really, it's just a way to reduce recidivism. Our focus is to give these inmates, these men and women, an opportunity to learn a craft and be productive once they re-enter society," Corey Dobridina with WCSO said.

"The majority of jails just assess and stabilize. It's just a catch and release program. What we're trying to do is assess, stabilize and treat," Bogle said.

From a grow program, to welding, and learning occupational safety and health administration, the Walton County Jail in DeFuniak Springs has found ways to help many of its inmates make the most of their time locked up.

"This is a first step in trying to break this cycle of incarceration," Walton County Sheriff Michael Adkinson said.

"We see them at their absolute worst hour, the time they are in there is not a proud moment and this just gives them something to be proud of when they get out," Dobridnia added.

"I found it to be quite interesting because we have a lot of material to cover," jail program participant Edwin Peterson said.

"I can teach others the safety in the work area, and the dos and don'ts on how to clean up in the work area. How to operate tools, how to lock out electrical boxes, how to operate machinery safely and the proper PPs to use when doing the work," fellow participant Jamal Simmons said.

With the help of local college professors and vocational instructors, the programs set participants up for success.

"When I came in here, I told these guys straight up I see them as potential employees, potential employers, people who can contribute back to the community. I don't see them as people who are incarcerated inmates or anything like that, I see these guys with the potential to do great things in our community," Emerald Coast Technical College Instructor Thomas Martin said.

"Its a team effort. They say it takes a village to raise a child and it takes a community to rehabilitate somebody and we believe in that," said Dobridnia.

Officials said the investment isn't just in the inmates, but for the betterment of the community.

"So, we've got grants that help pay for some of this stuff and we save money with the crops and things like that, but when you consider court costs and what it costs to keep an inmate in jail, to feed them and things like that, you know, at the end of the day we hope it pays for itself. The longer we have these programs, we can give inmates an opportunity to learn something and go back out into the public and hopefully not come back," Dobridnia said.

Soon the jail will offer a new heavy machinery program, as well as start the next round of welding courses.