More than half of respondents have at least $10,000 in debt that doesn’t include a mortgage or student loans
Boston, MA – February 12, 2018
To reduce recidivism (the tendency of a convicted criminal to reoffend) and improve the prospects of offenders reentering into the community, American Consumer Credit Counseling (ACCC) has provided financial education classes to Massachusetts inmates since 2011. The Money Smart program, done in collaboration with the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC), provides instruction and guidance to inmates on how to manage money to support better financial choices and decisions.
“Providing offenders with basic money management skills is critically important so that they can gain new financial tools that will go a long way to improve their financial future,” said Steve Trumble, President, and CEO of American Consumer Credit Counseling, which is based in Newton, MA. “These basic life skills help offenders to create greater stability and prepare them for reentry into the community.”
The Money Smart program consists of eleven training modules that cover basic financial literacy skills. Topics include a description of deposit and credit services offered by financial institutions; choosing and maintaining a checking account; developing spending plans and budgeting skills; the importance of saving; how to obtain and use credit efficiently; and the basics of building and rebuilding credit. Inmates participate in interactive discussions, in addition to completing assignments. Classes occur once a week for six to eight weeks, and inmates are encouraged to engage in financial conversations throughout the week in addition to the group sessions.
ACCC is a 501(c)3 organization that provides free credit counseling, bankruptcy counseling, and housing counseling to consumers nationwide in need of financial literacy education and money management. For more information, contact ACCC:
- For credit counseling and student loan counseling, call 800-769-3571
- For bankruptcy counseling, call 866-826-6924
- For housing counseling, call 866-826-7180
- Or visit us online at http://www.ConsumerCredit.com
About American Consumer Credit Counseling
American Consumer Credit Counseling (ACCC) is a nonprofit credit counseling 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to empowering consumers to achieve financial management through credit counseling, debt management, bankruptcy counseling, housing counseling, student loan counseling and financial education concerning debt solutions. To help consumers reach their goal of debt relief, ACCC provides a range of free consumer personal finance resources on a variety of topics including budgeting, credit and debt management, student loan assistance, youth and money, homeownership, identity theft, senior living, and retirement. Consumers can use ACCC’s worksheets, videos, calculators, and blog articles to make the best possible decisions regarding their financial future. ACCC holds an A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau and is a member of the National Foundation for Credit Counseling® (NFCC®). For more information or to access free financial education resources, log on to ConsumerCredit.com or visit https://www.consumercredit.com/debt-resources-tools/
