From Vera Institute of Justice:
When Congress reinstated access to Pell Grants for incarcerated students this past December, it lifted a 26-year ban that put postsecondary education out of reach for millions of people incarcerated in the United States.
Providing Second Chances
Incarcerated people earn pennies per hour for the work they do in prison, so Pell Grants, their primary source of need-based financial aid, had made it possible for students to access higher education. The 1994 crime bill stripped incarcerated students of Pell Grant eligibility, making a college education practically unattainable. In the following years, the number of prison education programs quickly shrank, from 772 programs in the early 1990s to only eight in 1997.
But now, the passage of the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) Simplification Act offers renewed hope—and an opportunity for hundreds of thousands of incarcerated people to develop the knowledge and skills they need to succeed once released. Having a college degree increases their chances to secure well-paying jobs, find stable housing, and provide for their families. People who participate in college-in-prison programs are 48 percent less likely to return to prison, and reduced recidivism rates could cut state prison spending across the country by as much as $365.8 million annually. Continue reading >>>
|
|
|
|
