Taxpayers benefit from prison education because reducing recidivism rates reduces associated crime costs, such as personal victimization, property loss, police department and court system costs, and the cost to house individuals in prisons when they reoffend. Compared to these costs, educating incarcerated individuals is a bargain for taxpayers and provides a much-needed boost to formerly incarcerated individuals, who can then return to their communities as assets rather than liabilities.
Wilmington College has a long history of developing prison education programs from a Quaker perspective of respecting all persons and seeking social justice through peaceful means. Our current bachelor’s degree program provides incarcerated individuals with the opportunity to pursue higher education while in prison, allowing them to develop their intellect and abilities through learning and acquire skills that will benefit them upon returning to our communities.
For our faculty and main campus students who choose to participate, the experience of going into prisons is invaluable. We learn a great deal about the practice of incarceration and how to see past our own biases regarding the prison system. We hope that our classrooms allow PEP students to contribute to community dialogues that will benefit them both inside and outside the prison walls.
A current incarcerated student from Wilmington College said, “I want to express how grateful I am to be able to experience college while incarcerated. This is only my first semester, and I have learned so much. I have been taught to consider other perspectives. I am learning things I never knew, and it is as if my eyes have been reopened. In my Peace Studies and Conflict class, I learned how to communicate and lead with peace and humanity in everything I do now. The Wilmington faculty and staff treat me like a human being. They make me feel like my mistakes won’t hinder my success after I’m released.”
As someone impacted by the prison system, I am grateful for the opportunity to return to prison and work with Wilmington College students. I know firsthand how higher education in prison can benefit you after you leave. I have had great employment opportunities, made valuable connections, and become a changemaker in the community.
While inside, I hope to be a beacon of hope for the students and anyone else who is currently incarcerated. I tell them every day that higher education saved and changed my life.
Mary Evans, an advocate for reentry, is a DCI Site Coordinator for Wilmington College.
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