On Thursday, a group of convicted felons got a new lease on life thanks to Hinds County’s Re-Entry Program.

The class of four was the sixth in two years, and took courses in behavior and vocational training, working with WIN Job Centers to help them learn real-world job skills.

Director Angela Harper told WLBT that the program works with thought processes, encouraging graduates to work toward a better life.

“We want them to know that this is a new beginning to the old stuff,” she told WLBT’s Chris Fields. “We want the old stuff to stay where it is. Whatever job they want to do, we are going to be behind them doing that job. So this re-entry program helps them move forward. It’s not a standstill program.”