POCATELLO — Twelve Bannock County inmates have hustled their way into graduation after successfully completing a new program that provides them the tools to foster sustainable change in their lives.

Hustle 2.0 is an evidence-based rehabilitation program designed by John Jackson, a former inmate who applies his lived experiences to reach incarcerated populations and evoke positive change. The program serves approximately 900 prison and jail facilities across 47 states.

“I was incarcerated for 18 years,” Jackson said. “I spent my last six years at a supermax prison in California called Pelican Bay State Prison. My last four years in solitary confinement, I decided to make a change in my life.”

The program takes an average of six months to complete, providing more than 175 hours of self-paced, in-cell rehabilitation through 32 courses covering topics such as substance misuse, anger management, victim awareness and reentry planning. The trauma-responsive, cognitive behavioral therapy-based program is accessible to any interested inmate.

Bannock County in particular has found success with the program, with high levels of engagement among its population.

At a graduation ceremony held Thursday morning, 12 inmates donned black gowns and caps, received certificates and were honored for their achievement.

“A lot of these graduates have never even graduated high school, so being able to earn university credits by doing this program is really a huge benefit for them,” said April Scism, a Bannock County deputy who helps run Hustle 2.0. “When they get out, they have something to look forward to. The program also focuses on resumes and building jobs and putting together ideas on how the skills that you have out on the street can translate into something positive when they get out.”

Hustle 2.0 is composed of four books that examine the cognitive behaviors and stresses participants may have grown up with, while offering ways to build essential skills and shift mindsets for lasting change.

“There’s a lot of journaling involved, a lot of self-reflection,” Scism said. “The one thing that I took away from this program is that I may not see a lot of changes while they’re here, but as I read through their homework and I see the experience they’re having — and how many people comment, ‘I’m going to start treating my family better, this is going to help my communication’ — I see that it can help them more on the outside as well as on the inside.”

For graduate Emily Speakman, the program serves as a prelude to her upcoming release in a few weeks following 10 months of incarceration.

“It’s a really great support system. It teaches you a lot of different skills, different coping mechanisms — it’s awesome,” Speakman said. “It was great, because it’s kind of like a treatment program, but you can go at your own pace. Just being able to learn different anxiety skills and coping mechanisms has been really nice.”

Speakman said she plans to keep the materials close after her release.

“I’m definitely going to hold on to my books and look into them every time I’m struggling or anything like that. There’s been different breathing exercises, tapping mechanisms that we can use, different ways to cope with triggers and everything.”

Speakman will leave Bannock County Detention Center Monday, spending about two weeks in a different county jail before being released on probation.

While her driver’s license will be suspended for the first year, she said she will work to reinstate it and then pursue a tattooing apprenticeship.

“I’ve always been super into art,” Speakman said. “I was tattooing before I came in here, so I’ll continue it when I get out. This is such a great program and I really appreciate it. It’s been a super big help for me throughout this whole process. It’s worth it. I definitely want to shout out to my mom. Every time I call her, she’s like, ‘How’s your hustle going?’”