Virginia-based company helps those incarcerated in NC reenter society through educational training

RALEIGH, N.C. (WTVD) -- One company wants to help create safer communities by helping those previously incarcerated from reentering prison.

ViaPath Technologies, based out of Virginia, is providing vocational and education training to those incarcerated in North Carolina.

For instance, Antonio Sadler -- who was previously incarcerated in South Carolina -- was given access to ViaPath during the last 18 months of his sentence. He has been locked up at different times in the past.

Sadler started a new life in North Carolina after ultimately being released in 2021. He reunited with his wife and two girls.

Tony Lowden, the chief social impact officer of the company, said the goal is to truly rehabilitate and provide a second chance.

Because of ViaPath, Sadler was given a second chance. He now works as a product manager for the company.

"Almost a decade of raising them from behind bars," he said. "I'm thinking, you know, I got to get a job, whatever comes. I was just that that desperation because it's a serious situation, but the opportunity came and you know, I really was feeling like this is a blessing."

Almost 50 percent of individuals released from state prisons in 2019 re-offended within two years, according to the North Carolina Sentencing and Policy Advisory Commission.

There are renewed efforts to stop people from re-offending with an executive order signed by Governor Roy Cooper.

ViaPath has teamed up with Hope University, providing tablets for men and women behind bars across the state.

"It's not like your tablet that you have with your iPad or anything like that," Lowden said. "It is like a correction grade tablet where the only thing that they can get on those tablets is a vocational education, things that help them get their CDLs, all things that help them get their GED."

He said people reentering society face challenges with basic things, such as getting a driver's license, employment and housing. That's what ViaPath wants to help with, plus to help maintain connection to family members through providing access to video chatting.

"We live in a world; we have to be here together," Sadler said. "It's best to equip the people that are coming home with the tools and skills that they need to take care of themselves because they might be your neighbor one day."

Lowden said in the past eight months, they've seen a great deal of engagement in North Carolina.

"The engagement and the numbers and the interactive numbers are well into the millions that we're seeing in North Carolina," he said. "Of the number of hours on these tablets doing educational, vocational content, it is unbelievable."