Eight people housed at the Bannock County Detention Center in Pocatello completed a rigorous rehabilitation curriculum this spring, marking the third graduating class from a program aimed at reducing repeat offenses and preparing inmates for life after incarceration.
The graduates — Matthew Chaffin, Fern Tendoy, Esequiel De La Cruz, Thadeous French, Champane Buckman, Santana Crosland, Edwin Negrin, and Christopher Trumbo — finished the Hustle 2.0 program, a self-guided, trauma-responsive Cognitive Behavioral Therapy curriculum that requires approximately 175 hours to complete. A graduation ceremony was held at the detention center in March 2026.
Bannock County began offering the program in 2025. Since then, 19 people have successfully completed it. The program is open to any individual housed at the jail, regardless of the nature of their charges.
What the Program Covers
Hustle 2.0 addresses a wide range of issues that research has shown to be connected to criminal behavior and recidivism. Participants work through modules on substance misuse, anger management, victim awareness, and reentry planning — a combination designed to equip graduates with practical tools for making different choices once they leave custody.
John Jackson, CEO of Hustle 2.0, has guided the program’s national rollout since 2004. According to program data, 90 percent of Hustle 2.0 participants nationally have avoided further misconduct after completing the curriculum — a figure that reflects the depth of the program’s behavioral focus.
Because the curriculum is self-guided, participants must take personal ownership of their progress rather than relying on scheduled classes or group sessions. That structure places the responsibility of completion squarely on the individual — a feature that Captain Lyle Thurgood of the Detention Division has highlighted as a meaningful distinction from other correctional programs.
Notably, the program carries no direct cost to Bannock County taxpayers. It is funded entirely through commissary profits generated within the detention facility itself.
Graduates Speak to the Program’s Impact
For 47-year-old Christopher Trumbo, completing Hustle 2.0 opened a door he had not previously found. Trumbo has been accepted into Wood Court, an intensive treatment court program, and plans to pursue a Business Management degree after his release.
“I’m so grateful for this,” Trumbo said at the ceremony. “I wish I would have known this stuff sooner. I’m 47 years old, and I’m just now figuring this out.”
His path forward illustrates the broader goal of the initiative — connecting inmates not just with self-awareness tools but with tangible next steps, including educational opportunities and structured reentry programming.
Sheriff Tony Manu, who attended the graduation alongside Commissioner Ernie Moser, praised the graduates for doing what many incarcerated individuals never do: voluntarily committing to a demanding, honest look at themselves and their choices.
“I’m really proud of these graduates because they took the initiative to complete the program and do the hard work of honest self-reflection,” Manu said.
Commissioner Moser’s presence at the ceremony reflected the county’s broader interest in programs that have the potential to reduce the long-term burden on the criminal justice system. Repeat offenders strain law enforcement, court, and detention resources — and programs with strong recidivism outcomes can help address that cycle at its root.
For context on the types of offenses that land individuals in the Bannock County Detention Center, recent local cases have ranged from public indecency charges in Pocatello to felony-level offenses requiring SWAT-level enforcement — underscoring why access to evidence-based rehabilitation matters at every level of the local criminal justice system.
What Comes Next
With three completed cohorts and 19 total graduates since the program launched in 2025, Bannock County officials appear committed to continuing Hustle 2.0 as an ongoing offering. Because the program is self-guided and funded through commissary proceeds rather than county appropriations, it presents a fiscally sound approach to inmate rehabilitation that aligns with responsible use of taxpayer resources.
Future rounds of the program are expected to continue as long as eligible inmates volunteer to participate. Officials have not announced a cap on enrollment or a timeline for any programmatic changes. Anyone currently housed at the Bannock County Detention Center is eligible to begin the curriculum.