When Brandy first entered prison, she had no voice. She explained that she was “so full of pain and shame and so broken down” that she didn’t want people to see or to hear her. With the encouragement of a fellow prisoner, she registered for a psychology class. And then another and another class. “I slowly gained my voice back,” said Brandy, who found confidence and self-respect through her success in her classes.
Brandy is one of more than 220 incarcerated students, both men and women, who are participating in Salt Lake Community College Prison Education Program offered at the Utah State Corrections Facility. This equates to 10% of the prison’s population, and some 300 students are expected to register this fall.
The self-transformation that results in providing inmates access to education can have definitive ripple effects across society. From an economic and practical standpoint, inmates who have received vocational or educational opportunities in prison are less likely to return and are more able to reenter the job market with skills and qualifications. In Utah’s tight labor market, more workers are needed.
A 2013 study from Rand found that the odds of recidivating were 48% less for people who participated in postsecondary education programs in prison. Through education, we try to provide hope that life on the outside is not a dead end, but potentially a new path forward.
Most of the incarcerated students use Pell grants to pay for education, and this ultimately saves society money. According to the advocacy group The Vera Institute of Justice, every dollar invested in prison-based education yields $4 to $5 of taxpayer savings in reduced incarceration costs.
With funding from the Utah State Legislature, SLCC started a pilot program in 2017 serving 40 students. Since then, it has grown to offer six associate degrees and certificates. Davis Tech also plays an integral role and has provided technical training to inmates since 2010.
Today, SLCC is the 10th largest prison education program in the country and the two dozen faculty teaching in the prison maintain the same rigor in these classes as their classes on SLCC’s campuses.
This in-person model provides an incubator for students to build societal skills as they respectfully engage with peers and the teacher. One male inmate said, “These classes offer a semblance of reality to be able to function like I would if I was out there … it allows me to practice.” Another male inmate, who had completed courses in anthropology, criminal justice and American history, denounced his allegiance to white supremacy.
One of the ripple effects found in prisons with college programs is fewer violent incidences, creating a safer environment for staff and inmates. Students often carry on discussions outside of class and support one another in their homework. Becky, an inmate who has earned an associate degree, and has plans to earn a bachelor’s in criminal justice, said, “a camaraderie around learning forms.”
More ripples. Providing access to education can end defeating cycles. When parents, incarcerated or not, complete college, then their children are more likely to do so, disrupting a cycle of poverty and incarceration. This filled me with hope, as I watched 23 of our students graduate this month at the Utah prison.
For Brandy, finding her voice has set a lot in motion. One more semester, and she will have earned an associate degree in general education, and she hopes, one more A to add to her straight-A streak. She said, “When I walk out of here, it’s going to be with a sense of accomplishment. And I’m definitely not coming back.”
David Bokovoy, Ph.D., is the director of SLCC’s Prison Education Program. He has served as a chaplain at Harvard University and is deeply committed to promoting interfaith dialogue and social justice. He has also been a member of several rock and blues bands.