While Kim Kardashian is widely recognized for her successful shapewear brand, she has also been making significant strides in criminal justice reform. On August 29, Kardashian visited the Growlersburg Conservation Camp #33 in Georgetown, California, where young inmates are learning to become firefighters. The camp is managed by Cal Fire and the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation.

Kardashian highlighted the significance of this program in an Instagram post, explaining that participants can expunge their felony records upon release and potentially pursue careers as firefighters. “Through this voluntary program, they can fully expunge their felony records when they are released and now can go into firefighting careers when they get out,” she wrote.

The camp, situated near an old gold mining town in the Sierra foothills, has a long history of training inmates for the physically demanding and dangerous job of wildland firefighting. Initially, the program was only available to inmates with lesser criminal records, such as DUI offenders. However, a year-old pilot initiative known as the Youthful Offender Program (YOP) now allows individuals aged 18 to 25 who have committed more serious crimes, like manslaughter, to participate.

Fred Money, a spokesperson for the Department of Corrections, praised the program for offering these young offenders a new path. “Instead of just sending them to be on the yard and being indoctrinated with prison politics and all that, they can go here,” Money said. “A lot of these YOP offenders that do come in at a young age … they’ve never really worked, they’ve never held jobs. But this really gives them something to be a part of, be a part of a team.”

Kardashian’s visit to the camp, accompanied by her sister Kendall Jenner, is the latest example of her ongoing commitment to prison reform. Earlier this year, she visited Valley State Prison and the Central California Women’s Facility with her sister Khloé. In April, she participated in a roundtable on criminal justice reform with Vice President Kamala Harris. Kardashian has been using her platform for years to advocate for incarcerated individuals, including her notable work with Donald Trump’s administration, where she successfully lobbied for the release of a woman serving a life sentence for drug-related charges.

During her visit to the camp, Kardashian and Jenner met with inmates from both Growlersburg and the Pine Grove Youth Conservation Camp, posing for photos and engaging with the participants. “She just wanted to come and learn about it and shine a positive light on the program,” Money said. “She was down-to-earth and very open to meeting and talking with the YOPs.”

Some inmates shared their personal stories with Kardashian, including one who expressed gratitude for the second chance the program provided. “He said it was a blessing to be able to get out from behind the walls … no chain link, no barbed wire, and be treated like a firefighter,” Money recalled.

Kardashian’s continued efforts in criminal justice reform demonstrate her dedication to offering opportunities for rehabilitation and reintegration, and her visit to Growlersburg Camp brought attention to the importance of such programs in changing lives.