Indiana
University of
Pennsylvania is one of four universities in Pennsylvania and one
of 67 in the
nation selected for a national program designed to offer federal
Pell grants to
incarcerated students.
The initiative, the
Second Chance Pell
pilot program, allows
eligible and qualified incarcerated Americans to receive Pell
Grants to pursue
postsecondary education.
Information about the
program was
announced June 24, 2016 by the U.S. Department of Education.
IUP
will work with students currently housed in state correctional
institutions in
Houtzdale and Indiana (Pine Grove). Students will be taking
courses via computer
(distance learning) and will be enrolled in the associate of
arts, general
studies major. The program is designed for individuals who are
likely to be
released within five years of enrolling in coursework.
Approximately
30 students are expected to begin IUP coursework in the spring
2017 semester.
“I’m
pleased and proud that IUP was selected for this important
initiative,” IUP
President, Michael Driscoll, said. “I want to thank the
members of the IUP
team responsible for this proposal: Jon Lewis, Jamie
Martin, Randy Martin
and Ragan Griffin.”
U.S.
Department of Education officials noted that the selected
universities demonstrated
a focus on supporting successful reentry through partnerships
with the
correctional institutions, community-based organizations, local
non-profits and
foundations and presented an ability to provide robust academic,
career and
social support services to facilitate postsecondary persistence
and completion.
Affordability was also a factor in selecting universities for
the initiative.
“It is clear that selection for this program reflects IUP’s
outstanding
reputation not only for providing quality academics, but for
providing support
to students and working closely with our community for the
betterment of our
commonwealth and our nation,” Driscoll said.
According
to the Department of Education, the United States currently has
the highest
incarceration rate in the world with approximately 2.2 million
people
incarcerated in American prisons and jails.
A
2013 study by the RAND Corporation, funded by the Department of
Justice, found
that incarcerated individuals who participated in correctional
education were
43 percent less likely to return to prison within three years
than prisoners
who did not participate in any correctional education programs.
RAND also
estimated that for every dollar invested in correctional
education programs,
four to five dollars are saved on three-year re-incarceration
costs.
In
making the announcement, U.S. Secretary of Education John B.
King Jr. praised
the universities selected for the program.
“The
evidence is clear. Promoting education and job training for
incarcerated
individuals makes communities safer by reducing recidivism and
saves taxpayer
dollars by lowering the direct and collateral costs of
incarceration. I applaud
the institutions that have partnered to develop high-quality
programs that will
equip these students with invaluable learning. The knowledge and
skills they
acquire will promote successful reintegration and enable them
become active and
engaged citizens.”
Pennsylvania
Governor Thomas Wolf thanked the institutions selected for this
initiative in a
press release issued June 24, 2016.
“More than 90 percent of the 48,000 individuals behind bars in
Pennsylvania
will leave prison one day,” said Governor Wolf. “It’s no secret
that achieving
basic literacy and completing high school are positive
indicators of future
success and reduced recidivism. Having a college degree or
certificate in hand
will give those individuals an even greater chance for
successful reintegration
and to become productive members of society. I thank the
incredible
institutions of higher learning who’ve partnered with us in this
effort.”
Pennsylvania
Secretary of Corrections John Wetzel also voiced his support for
the program in
the press release from Governor Wolf.
“With
20,000 individuals leaving our institutions every year the DOC
has placed a
heavy focus on reentry and removing barriers to reentry,” Wetzel
said.
“For
the last 22 years, college education was out of reach for most
inmates who had
to cover the costs themselves. Through this partnership with
participating
colleges and universities we can expand access to high quality
education
programs that will give individuals the skills they need to
become tax payers
rather than tax burdens.”
For
the past three years, IUP has worked with Secretary Wetzel in
the “Time To
Lead” initiative to create new opportunities for students of
color and to help
them meet their educational goals and become leaders. Secretary
Wetzel served
as IUP’s May commencement speaker and received an honorary
doctor of laws
degree from the university.