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Ithaka S+R has released a new report examining how the interstitial nature of higher education in prison programs, caught between correctional and college systems, puts increased pressure on educators and students on the inside. This, in turn, creates self-censorship concerns, surveillance issues, and raises questions about the equity of educational experience on the inside.
James “Sneaky” White, 80, spent nearly four decades incarcerated in California. His nickname “Sneaky” comes from his days as a helicopter pilot during the Vietnam War. While he was incarcerated, he helped create a college program that has since graduated more than 1,500 men. At the time, San Quentin was the only other prison in the state where incarcerated people could earn degrees.
A biweekly newsletter about the future of postsecondary education in prisons. Written by Open Campus staff reporter Charlotte West.
In this radio segment from NPR and WBUR's Here & Now, Deepa Fernandes speaks with Jennifer Lackey, the founding director of the Northwestern Prison Education Program. This segment runs approximately 8 minutes and 50 seconds.
This article from Reuters announces the graduation of the first class of incarcerated students from Northwestern University's Prison Education Program on November 15, 2023.
When prison tech stops working, those inside are left with limited recourse.
As California closes three more prisons and downsizes six others, some prisoners aren’t ready to go. They are worried about the future of their education. Newsom is closing and downsizing prisons across the state, putting the future of over a thousand incarcerated students at risk. College administrators say they have few resources to help.
Having culturally relevant content makes higher ed more relatable to Indigenous students, encouraging more of them to pursue degrees.
These programs are primed to explode in partnership with the Mississippi Department of Corrections. This news article describes what happens during a class in the Mississippi Department of Corrections.
For many people who are incarcerated, postsecondary classes offered by the facility in which they’re serving their sentences represent a first step on an educational journey that is likely to continue after they are released—one that could ultimately lead to an industry-recognized credential, an associate’s or bachelor’s degree, or even a master’s degree or a PhD.
Postsecondary institutions can capitalize on existing national data sources to obtain information on prison education programs (PEP) and students. This resource provides a brief overview of the following data sources:
This news article highlights takeaways from the National Conference for Higher Education in Prison (NCHEP).
This report from the Prison Policy Initiative offers some much-needed clarity by piecing together the data about this country’s disparate systems of confinement. It provides a detailed look at where and why people are locked up in the U.S., and dispels some modern myths to focus attention on the real drivers of mass incarceration and overlooked issues that call for reform.
This article is a guest essay written in the New York Times by Max Kenner, founder and executive director of the Bard Prison Initiative at Bard College. Mr. Kenner argues that the FAFSA Simplification Act "has the potential to do more good within U.S. prisons than any policy in a generation." But, he continues, the work has just begun.
This article from USA Today discusses the expansion of Pell Grants, which were eliminated in the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994 for incarcerated people and ended the majority of prison education programs.
Access to education is in high demand among the incarcerated population. There are clear benefits to students who are incarcerated, their families and communities, public safety, and safety inside prisons. Yet the gap in educational aspirations and participation has been largely driven by a lack of capacity due to limited funding.
Access to education is in high demand among the incarcerated population. There are clear benefits to students who are incarcerated, their families and communities, public safety, and safety inside prisons. Yet the gap in educational aspirations and participation has been largely driven by a lack of capacity due to limited funding.
On October 28, 2022, the United States Department of Education (USDE) published final regulations that provide a framework for how to implement Pell reinstatement and ensure highquality postsecondary education in correctional facilities. The regulations will take effect on July 1, 2023. Specifically, the FAFSA Simplification Act, passed on December 27, 2020, restored Pell Grant eligibility for incarcerated students.
This report summarizes the impact of BPI’s work on prison and education policy and the lives of the individuals who participate in and graduate from their programs.