Women earn unique master's in ministry behind Tennessee prison bars

Utah’s Higher Education for Incarcerated Youth program provides free college-level courses for credit to help young people who are incarcerated get college-ready. Those who do not pass the screening test to take college-level classes can take classes for high school credit instead.

The University of Wyoming’s Pathways from Prison program uses federal Pell Grant money and private donations to fund college education for inmates. The program offers four-year degrees and aims to provide them with the skills, tools and knowledge to reenter society in a positive way. Studies show educational programs decrease recidivism rates by 14.8%, and those participating in the program say their self-worth and sense of hope have significantly increased.

California is leading the nation in prison education. “There are now in-person community college classes in all but one prison in the state, enrolling some 4,000 students." Nationally, 4 percent of higher ed institutions teach for-credit classes in prisons. “It's been the most amazing experience of my entire life, as either a free man or as an incarcerated human being." Evidence shows that providing people in prison with education reduces recidivism rates. “A major study by the RAND Corporation found taking classes in prison cuts the chances of getting locked up again by 43%.”

The Yale Prison Education Initiative allows cohorts of 12 to 15 people to take credit-bearing college courses and earn a degree while incarcerated. The program now offers two-year associate’s degrees and four-year bachelor’s degrees in three different prisons across Connecticut.

Through the Inside-Out program, traditional college students and students who are incarcerated share the same classroom, coming together for quarter-long courses. All participants receive college credit and students from both groups say learning together helps them break down barriers and understand new perspectives.

Project Rebound at the Pelican Bay State Prison is a partnership with California State Polytechnic University, Humboldt that provides associate and bachelor’s degree education to incarcerated individuals. Research shows access to higher education in prison lowers recidivism rates and increases the likelihood the person will find a job post-incarceration. Currently, about 14,000 incarcerated individuals in the state are taking classes toward a college degree, or about 15% of the prison population.

The United States Department of Education made federal Pell Grants available to college students who are incarcerated to help cover school expenses. This spurred the development of new prison education programs and partnerships with colleges.

Light for Love aims to make the church more accessible by welcoming people in. In the summer, volunteers spend evenings inviting passersby to come inside the church and light a candle for someone they love. It’s estimated that Light for Love draws 100 to 130 participants on any given evening, helping people become comfortable and reconnect with their faith.

Through admissions counseling, tutoring and fellowship, volunteer-based association CampusRom is helping get more Roma students into Spanish university classrooms — and stay there. In 2021, 75% of enrolled students passed their courses, many participants return as volunteers after finishing their studies, and the system has been adopted in other Spanish regions of the country as well.

Kenya's overcrowded and poorly maintained prisons offer some educational and rehabilitative programs to inmates, but the nuns of the Dimesse congregation provide something else to try to transform the lives of those who committed crimes: religious instruction, with a side helping of basic humanitarian supplies. Along with food, underwear, and sanitary pads, the nuns use regular visits to men's and women's prisons to hand out bibles and give faith-based instruction aimed at reintegrating shunned citizens once they return to their communities.