Last summer, after a 30-year hiatus, the federal government officially restored access to Pell Grants for incarcerated students.
First administered in 1973, Pell Grants were created for students in financial need. They quickly became a significant source of funding for college-in-prison programs. Pell Grants helped fuel the rise of college-in-prison programs from 46 in 1967 to 350 in 1982.
The 1994 Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act — signed into law by then-President Bill Clinton and more commonly known as the Crime Bill — took away incarcerated students’ ability to apply for and receive Pell Grants.
By the 1993-94 school year, around 27,000 incarcerated students received Pell Grants, according to a 2021 Journal of Student Financial Aid review. A separate study by the American Enterprise Institute, a Washington, D.C.-based think tank, reported that by the early 1990s there were up to 770 college prison education programs in close to 1,300 correctional facilities in the U.S.
The sudden gutting of Pell Grants for the incarcerated in 1994 led to a negative chain reaction.
A year after the Crime Bill was passed, there was a 44% drop in enrollments among incarcerated students in prison programs, due to cuts in funding, the journal review found. State governments also reduced funding commitments to prison education programs. And according to the AEI study, by 1997, the number of college-in-prison programs dropped to just eight.
It remains to be seen how the restoration of Pell Grants will affect enrollment in prison education. But for the first time in decades, the door has once again opened for more students to attend college behind bars.
The benefits of allowing incarcerated individuals to pursue higher education are clear, according to research. Attending college in prison can help lower the recidivism rate, saving taxpayer money and preparing incarcerated individuals with post-release employment opportunities.
Despite restoring Pell Grants, roadblocks to learning in prison remain. Accessing funding can be challenging and slow, as the Pell Grant rollout has experienced hiccups early on.
But earning a degree also gives incarcerated people a chance to re-define themselves. Angie Gordon can attest to that. Gordon graduated last year with a bachelor’s degree in communications from California State University, Sacramento — and Gordon did so from Mule Creek State Prison.
“It is one thing to push forward in life when you are told the world is waiting for you, that every possibility is open for the taking,” Gordon said. “It is another thing entirely to push forward when you are told that your possibilities are limited, that you are too broken and dysfunctional to live beyond the terms of your captivity.”
In the spirit of this progress, Prison Journalism Project has curated a collection of five stories about higher education behind bars.
“How I Became a Scholar Behind Bars” by Ramelle Kamack: “That first night, lying on my bunk, I closed my eyes and prayed for sleep. But in the darkness, I sensed a flickering light of hope. I would not let this place devour me, I thought. I knew if I worked hard enough I could regain the dedication, perseverance and work ethic that I once possessed.”
“’The Sky’s the Limit’ For Mule Creek Students Celebrating Graduation” by Earl Breckenridge: “The graduates, dressed in cap and gown, were treated to the celebratory music of ‘Pomp and Circumstance’ and a proud, boisterous audience that nearly filled Mule Creek’s visiting room to capacity.”
“Completing the FAFSA From Prison: A How-To Guide” by Crystal Avilla: “In my facility, there are four college clerks available to assist applicants through the FAFSA process. I suspect that is not the case in many facilities. So for individuals without that support, the following guide is for you.”
“In My Prison, We Pay for College on 70 Cents a Day” by Caddell Kivett: “College programs in North Carolina prisons were few and far between. Offerings were either unaccredited or restricted to people with less than 10 years to serve on their sentence.”
“Ashland University Is Good for Some — and Frustrating for Others” by James Hone: “Some students have faced roadblocks enrolling in and completing the program, due in part to technology challenges. The university has also been accused of mismanaging its finances and manipulating student transcripts.”