Artwork stating 'Education Destroys Barriers', 'We Demand Treatment', and 'I Need A Chance'

Search Results

You searched for: -

There are 306 results  for your search.  View and Refine Your Search Terms

  • How people in Illinois prisons lead peer-led civics education courses on voting rights

    Since 2020, more than 250 people incarcerated in Illinois prisons have been trained as peer-educators to lead civics education courses that focus on the history of voting, the logistics of voting, and the nuances of government. So far roughly 6,000 people have completed the program, which emphasizes that they are eligible to register to vote immediately after their release.

    Read More

  • Planning Parenthood for Incarcerated Men

    Planned Parenthood of Orange and San Bernardino Counties hosts workshops for incarcerated youth to teach them about sexual wellness, as well as the elements of healthy relationships, consent and the consequences of toxic masculinity. The workshops educate young men so they can have the knowledge they — and their partners — need to have better health outcomes. The workshops began in 2013 and expect to reach about 300 incarcerated teens and young men by the end of June as they continue expanding.

    Read More

  • A mother's calling: Inside the fight to make prison phone calls free

    Advocates in Connecticut worked with the nonprofit Worth Rises to successfully campaign for a law that made phone calls and emails free in the state’s prison system. Expensive communication was a barrier for people who are incarcerated and their families, often impacting their mental health, relationships, and financial well-being.

    Read More

  • At Monroe prison, dog training reshapes lives of humans, canines alike

    A nonprofit that provides service animals to people with disabilities for free works with people who are incarcerated in Washington to train the dogs, giving them a positive way to spend their time and gain useful skills. Trainers help them teach the dogs new tasks every week.

    Read More

  • 'Transformative': More college programs are slowly coming into prisons

    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.

    Read More

  • Kentucky Program Supports Inmates With Substance Use Disorder

    First Day Forward provides support and assistance to people with substance use disorders who are reentering the community after incarceration in seven rural counties. The program is driven by peer-support specialists who have lived experience to provide trusting support to those seeking assistance. The program has been shown to work as the recidivism rate for those who’ve successfully completed it has dropped to 23.5%, compared to 53.2% in a nearby county.

    Read More

  • Exonerees, crime survivors come together for healing

    Healing Justice brings exonerees, crime victims and family members from a variety of cases together to share stories, play games, connect and heal together while facing the traumas of wrongful convictions. Since 2015, Healing Justice has hosted 17 retreats, where exonerees and crime victims gather for three days to work through their traumas together.

    Read More

  • The Addiction Recovery Story We Don't Hear Enough

    Women in Recovery is a diversion program for women who would otherwise face prison time for drug-related offenses. The comprehensive program lasts 18 months and helps participants restore their mental health, reunite with their children, develop skills that help them get jobs, secure housing and reenter the community. Women in Recovery helps reduce recidivism rates and 70% of women who start the program complete it and graduate.

    Read More

  • Prison system works to combat health care coverage gap by enrolling people in Medicaid before release

    With the new statewide Medicaid expansion, the Department of Adult Correction is working to ensure fewer people reenter society after incarceration and enter a healthcare coverage gap by helping people apply for Medicaid before release. With the Medicaid expansion, 80% of the 15,000 people released from prison each year are now eligible for coverage, and prison staff submit about 100 Medicaid applications each week.

    Read More

  • He's spent 29 years behind bars. For the past 6 months, he's also been a college professor.

    A new program through Adams State University hires incarcerated professors to teach in prison bachelor’s programs, providing them training and income while giving more people access to education behind bars. Students report that they prefer learning from someone who understands their experiences and is available to connect with outside of formal classes.

    Read More