Technology

Getting the approval for the technology and equipment necessary to operate high-quality postsecondary education in prison programs can present challenges. The steps in this resource from Jobs for the Future can help postsecondary and corrections education leaders develop a strategic approach to gaining buy-in for, implementing, and growing the use of technology to enhance and expand opportunities for quality postsecondary education in facilities. 

Colleagues -

Greetings and happy Monday (or whatever day it is that you read this). Many of you know that the

This article from Jobs for the Future was written by Shaun Libby, who was formerly incarcerated and was enrolled in the Maine State Prison college program.

"Investing in prison education and work opportunities inspires hope, prepares residents for reentry, and reduces recidivism while also fostering positive improvements in prison culture."

To have consistent access to relevant DOC data on students who are incarcerated, postsecondary institutions should establish data use agreements (DUAs), also known as data sharing agreements (DSAs), with their DOC partners. This brief breaks down the basics of establishing a DUA.

This brief describes the factors to consider when planning an evaluation of a postsecondary education in prison program. Evaluations are critical tools for assessing whether a program has been implemented as intended and equitably, informing program development or improvements, and assessing the effects of a program on student outcomes.

People who are incarcerated have historically been vulnerable to exploitation in research. This brief highlights resources on best practices for researchers to protect the autonomy, privacy, and rights of individuals who are incarcerated.

This article describes how people in Illinois prisons believe they are not getting the full sentence reductions allowed under a new law that gives credit for participating in education, work, and other programs. As many as 1,000 people who are still in custody could be eleigible for immediate release if they received proper sentence recalculations. 

The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and University of Massachusetts Lowell published the results of a two-year study of Brave Behind Bars, MIT's web design program for incarcerated students. The qualitative study evaluated the effects of teaching HTML and JavaScript to incarcerated students, highlighting a notable increase in their self-confidence and digital competencies - key factors in reducing recidivism, or the rate at which people who are released return to prison. 

The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and University of Massachusetts Lowell published the results of a two-year study of Brave Behind Bars, MIT's web design program for incarcerated students. The qualitative study evaluated the effects of teaching HTML and JavaScript to incarcerated students, highlighting a notable increase in their self-confidence and digital competencies - key factors in reducing recidivism, or the rate at which people who are released return to prison. 

Accessing high-speed Internet in correctional settings can serve as a conduit for incarcerated individuals to receive vocational and technology training programs and set them on a path to success. This (recorded) webinar highlights state and local examples of how leaders in this space are creating economic development opportunities for justice-impacted individuals and how they are defining their digital equity baselines, indicators, and goals as well as tools they use to measure success.