An Unconventional Education:

The Case for Rehabilitation in Criminal Justice

Last spring, as millions of students across the country received their college degrees, one valedictorian addressed family, friends, teachers and his fellow graduates at what may seem to be an unlikely setting — California’s San Quentin State Prison.

“I am human and, like most other men in blue, hope for compassion and a second chance,” Angelo remarked to all who were gathered that day in the San Quentin Visiting Room. “Thank you for giving me an opportunity.”

A college education is a dream for many Americans and can be a gateway to countless opportunities. At San Quentin, the Prison University Project is making that dream a reality for Angelo and the more than 3,000 students who have participated in its program. The Prison University Project offers 20 courses each semester to those pursuing their Associate’s degree, with 350 students currently enrolled and more than 150 graduates to date.

College behind bars may sound unconventional, but this volunteer-driven effort to provide inmates with educational opportunities is changing the lives of its students. Increased education can lead to more job opportunities after release, but that’s not the only impact. Taking courses while incarcerated can give those who are serving time a sense of purpose, goals to strive for and an opportunity to progress as individuals — and that means everything.

Prison education programs like the one in San Quentin have the power to rebuild lives. So why aren’t they more common?

The answer, in part, can be summed up in three words: tough on crime. Over the years, this phrase has come to indicate concern for communities and public safety, theoretically addressed by establishing strict punishments to deter crime. In reality, the tough on crime mentality has made America’s criminal justice system a destructive force that ruins lives instead of rebuilding them, contributing to mass incarceration across America.

Currently, 2.3 million people are incarcerated in the United States. Americans make up less than five percent of the world’s population but nearly a quarter of its prisoners. The problem of mass incarceration especially harms black communities, as black people are five times as likely to be incarcerated as their white counterparts, and many are serving time for minor or nonexistent offenses.

In most cases, people continue to be punished long after they’ve served their time. Many are denied access to student loans, public housing and food stamps, and finding a job is difficult when many employers ask questions about criminal records on applications. In some states, individuals with felony convictions permanently lose the ability to vote. Given the countless challenges many individuals face upon release, it’s easy to see why about two-thirds recidivate, or are rearrested, within three years of their release.

Unraveling the causes of recidivism isn’t easy, and there are many different policy solutions that aim to tackle it. Education programs in prisons are one such solution.

The Prison University Project in California isn’t the only organization that has implemented this type of program, and efforts in other locations have been just as successful.

In New York prisons, implementation of a similar program has led to stark drops in recidivism rates. Only four percent of those who took courses recidivate, and a mere two percent of those who graduate from the program do, compared to a recidivism rate of about 40 percent for all who serve time in the New York State prison system.

Similarly, a meta-analysis by the RAND Corporation found that those who participate in education programs in prisons are 43 percent less likely to recidivate compared to those who do not. Moreover, post-release employment rates were 13 percent higher among those who took part in educational or vocational programs while in prison versus those who didn’t.

According to the RAND study, educational programs for those serving their time are also cost-effective. Researchers found that a $1 investment in prison education programs saved correctional institutions an average of $4 to $5 down the road. The numbers don’t lie; these programs have a proven record of success.

The United States needs an attitude change when it comes to criminal justice. Individuals paying their debt to society must be empowered to rebuild their lives. That means ending disenfranchisement. That means fighting employment discrimination. That means providing educational opportunities.

In his valedictorian speech last June, Angelo from San Quentin reminded his classmates of how far they had come.

“The amends we make are now our messages of redemption,” he said. “The tests we endured, our testimony. No one forced us to better ourselves. We chose a college education of our own volition. So today, we are champions.”

It’s time more people like Angelo have the opportunity to feel like champions, too.