A Space for Community
Camille Watkin
Inside the Arlington County Detention Facility, there’s a program called the Community Readiness Unit (CRU), and it's quietly changing lives. The group is made up of 15-18 men at any given time – no age limits. The biggest requirement is that you must choose to be there. That’s key. CRU is a voluntary program. People join because they want to. They’re not just looking for a shortcut out. No one is enrolled with the goal of shaving time off their sentence. There is no time off…just time invested. The men who enroll in CRU are ready to put in the work and make things better for themselves.
Voluntary Commitment, Real Change
The typical CRU programming day is busy: three, sometimes four, classes, Monday through Friday. The course list covers just about everything that you can imagine – Moral Reconation Therapy (MRT), improvisation, creative writing, visual arts, meditation/mindfulness, fatherhood, NA/AA, addiction recovery, wellness, social justice, Framework for Change, public speaking, yoga, group therapy, philosophy, and a peer support group. There are also probation-led classes like Decision Points and Anger Management. Our CRU participants are afforded these probation classes while they are in ACDF custody, with the opportunity to complete them prior to their release.
MRT sits at the center of it all. Think of it as the program’s backbone—a cognitive-behavioral therapy meant to tackle the patterns that most often lead people right back to jail: criminal thinking, addiction, poor decision-making. MRT asks participants to step back, really look at their past, and start figuring out how to move forward. For most, that first step—honestly facing what got them here (in the criminal justice system)—is the hardest. But it’s also the start of any real change.
Other courses build on this foundation. Fatherhood, NA/AA, Framework for Change, and peer support groups help them imagine and start planning positive goal-centered futures. Getting out is a shock: suddenly, all the choices you haven’t had to make for months or years are yours again. It’s overwhelming. These classes help men build skills and habits while they’re still inside, so they have something steady to hold onto when they’re released. Preparation and planning, it turns out, matter a lot more than just serving time. If you want people to succeed, you can’t just open the door and hope. You must help them lay the groundwork. That’s what CRU tries to do—offer a wide range of options, so everyone has a shot at finding what works for them.
Many men in CRU have never had the space or encouragement to be creative or vulnerable. So, classes in improvisation, creative writing, art, meditation, and yoga aren’t just about passing time. They’re about learning new ways to handle stress, express yourself, and find balance. Over time, you can see the difference; they get more comfortable in their own skin. It's as if layers of trauma and bruised armor are lifted and replaced with understanding and confidence. The result is a mix: the therapy and skills classes build motivation and direction, while the creative courses offer balance and healthy ways to deal with different emotions.
Soft skills matter, too. Public speaking and philosophy might sound academic, but in practice, they’re about learning to think clearly and communicate well. In philosophy, the participants debate, learn to spot weak arguments, and consider points of view they might never have encountered. In public speaking, they practice being purposeful, cutting out filler, using body language, and reading the room. CRU participants share that their newfound public speaking skills easily transfer from the classroom to the courtroom with ease, understanding, and self-advocacy.
Programs
The Community Readiness Unit has an incredible partnership with Offender Aid and Restoration (OAR) in Arlington. OAR is an incredible support to CRU; they facilitate multiple CRU groups and provide countless resources. They serve as a crucial part of reentry, connecting former participants with jobs, housing, continuing education, mental health support, and other resources. OAR’s connection and support to the Community Readiness Unit’s participants is unwavering and steadfast.
The R.E.A.D. Program (CRU Reading to Educate, Advocate, and Dream) owes its start and ongoing success to the dedication of both stakeholders and community service providers. This unique initiative pairs incarcerated people with community members, giving them a space to read and discuss works by Black, Brown, and Indigenous authors while tackling social justice issues together. The program also hosts guest author talks and book signings, thanks to a partnership with the Arlington County Library.
Success in CRU isn’t just about staff or teachers; it’s about the men themselves. They elect two Peer Mentors at any given time—guys everyone trusts and feels comfortable turning to for help or advice. These mentors get a chance to lead, build confidence, and support their peers. When someone is about to be released, the whole group knows. They celebrate together, share words of encouragement, and mark the transition. After release, participants are expected to stay in touch with at least one member of the group. Accountability and community don’t end at the door.
Twice a year, ACSO, through our Inmate Services’ Section puts on “Hugs of Hope,” a special event where parents in the detention facility get to spend three hours in-person with their children (who are under 18 years old). But it’s not just a regular visit. The space is set up to be kid-friendly and inviting. There are games to play, books to read, time to talk, moments to share. Family photos capture the fun, there’s a big meal (pizza is always a hit), and every child heads home with a special gift from their parents. Those gifts and gift cards are donated by groups in the community, like the Salvation Army. To participate, parents need to successfully complete a six-week parenting course. Our CRU members, who attend fatherhood classes every week, are eligible. For many, this event is a lifeline—it gives parents a chance to stay involved in their children’s lives and make positive memories, even when things are hard. While visits take place, the kids’ caregivers meet in a support group run by CRU, DHS, and Inmate Services staff. It’s a place where they can talk honestly about the challenges of parenting with someone incarcerated and connect with others going through the same thing.
Conclusion
What makes CRU special is its commitment to people who might otherwise feel forgotten or undeserving. It’s about helping men discover strengths and possibilities they may never have imagined for themselves. The program’s holistic approach means anyone with a real desire for change—regardless of their past—can find something that works. The results speak for themselves: most CRU participants don’t reoffend. The program’s real strength comes from everyone involved—staff, facilitators, participants, and the broader community—all working together. When people start to believe they’re worthy of a stable, healthy/good life, they begin to work for it. CRU is there to help them see that, and to support them as they work towards real change and reentry.
It’s almost impossible to capture the true impact of the Community Readiness Unit in words. You have to witness it in the way men build brotherhoods, the ways that they learn to look inward and take responsibility, the way that they show up for each other to create community through commitment, skill building, self-reflection, hard work, and restorative practices. You see it in the stacks of handwritten notes from the men inside who want a shot at joining CRU (because word spreads), and in the constant flow of letters and emails from CRU alumni on the outside — men who are now measuring themselves by what they are building as opposed to what was destroyed. They are fathers, husbands, students, entrepreneurs, mentors, dreamers – and they’re proud of it. The label “inmate” no longer defines them.
Around the facility, people can’t stop talking about CRU. The guys in the program are fiercely proud and protective of what they’re building together. Their families, community stakeholders, program volunteers, security staff, and facilitators are all in their corner, cheering them on. The sheriff isn’t just a supporter — he’s all in. He spends time with the CRU participants and is always pushing for their success. The effect spreads further than you’d expect, in ways you really must see to believe. The Community Readiness Unit is empowering change.
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Camille Watkin didn’t follow a traditional path into law enforcement. For ten years, she served as a Community Health Nurse in SE, DC, supporting individuals facing severe health and psychiatric challenges. That experience laid the foundation for a second chapter in public service – one defined by compassion, innovation, and unwavering commitment to second chances. Mrs. Watkin is the Program Manager of the Community Readiness Unit for the Arlington County Sheriff’s Office. Camille serves on The Arlington Sheriff’s Advisory Board, The Executive Board of OAR, the Arlington Reentry Council, and is a member of the Mental Health Criminal Justice Review Committee and the Arlington Addiction Recovery Initiative. For more information, she can be contacted at cswatkin@arlingtonva.us
