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Increased Access to Higher Education Programs for California Prisoners

By Christopher Zoukis Some California prisoners, including those confined at the notorious Pelican Bay supermax, are enjoying access to higher education courses provided by the state’s community colleges. A 2014 law eliminated the requirement that all classes taught by community colleges must be open to the public; as a result, such colleges can now offer

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Virginia offers state prisoners college credit

In a welcome move, Governor Terry McAuliffe is making Virginia the only state to offer state prisoners college credit for five career and technical education courses recommended by ACE CREDIT­ – the American Council on Education’s College Credit Recommendation Service. Founded in 1918, ACE is the major coordinating body for all of the nation’s higher

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New York Governor’s Plan for Prison Education Might Make It This Time

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) is continuing his call for college courses to be offered to inmates in New York prisons. Part of the governor’s ‘Right Priorities’ criminal justice initiatives, the proposal for college classes for inmates resembles a plan Cuomo proposed in 2014, only to abandon six weeks later in the face of

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Real reform only possible through prison education

 Every week, it seems, we hear a little bit more about the sweeping reforms needed to fix America’s broken criminal justice system. It’s encouraging to hear acknowledgment by U.S. government leaders – President Barack Obama, even – that the ‘lock them up and throw away the key’ mentality has failed not just incarcerated men and

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“Each time somebody fails out of school, a new jail cell gets built.”

Those are the words of young Brooklynite, Vidal Chastanet, describing on Humans of New York (HONY) how his teacher, Nadia Lopez, explains the importance of education for individual and social well-being.  While we generally focus on prison education initiatives on this blog, we would be remiss not to mention the continuation of a story that

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“Inside-Out” is a “right-side up” approach to prison education

Some years ago an inmate at SCI Gratford Prison Pennsylvania conceived of an entirely new approach to prison education, designed not only to enlighten its participants intellectually but socially as well. Through its implementation, it’s succeeded in providing prisoners with hope and breaking down barriers between social groups. Called “Inside-Out classes,” an inmate by the

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Critics Say New York Prisons Should Educate, Rehabilitate, Even Inspire

By Brian Mann Every year, tens of thousands of inmates cycle through state and federal correctional facilities in the North Country. Almost all of those men will eventually get out of prison. They’ll go home, back to communities and neighborhoods. This morning, we’re looking at the debate over whether our prisons are doing the right

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How to Stop Revolving Prison Doors With Books

By Alice Hu / Harvard Political Review Education reduces crime. This connection seems like common sense, and indeed it has been researched, analyzed, and affirmed countless times. According to a 2007 study by researchers at Columbia University, Princeton University, and the City University of New York, higher education reduces the crime rates of both juveniles

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A Success Story: Justin L. Donohue

By Justin L. Donohue  Image courtesy zimbio.com I wanted to let you know that I really appreciate these messages (Prison News Service). I have learned so much since I started reading them. I also wanted you to know that as of last Friday, I am one of 12 inmates that were able to graduate mid-year

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