College Inside

How incarcerated students produce research, plus new initiatives to increase access to academic resources in prison.

Twenty-eight years ago, 62 incarcerated students at the Louisiana State Penitentiary received certificates in paralegal studies and computer technology. They were the last class to graduate before Congress eliminated prisoners’ eligibility for Pell Grants.

The theme of trade-offs has come up often. Do you transfer to a prison on the opposite side of the state to participate in a college program? Do you delay your petition for resentencing so you can graduate before you get out?

New report shows white students overrepresented and Hispanic students underrepresented, compared to overall prison population.

The state became the second to repeal a ban on financial aid for people in prison. It might be a harbinger of things to come.

New research about the conundrum that many formerly incarcerated job seekers face: deciding whether to share the job training and educational certificates they did in prison. 

It took almost nine years and nine different prisons — violence, solitary, violence, solitary — before Danny would enroll in a college program.

Most prisons have some kind of library, but incarcerated people report that the texts are outdated or they have limited access to them. Dozens of prison book programs work to fill the gap.

How ethnic studies offers young incarcerated people a new story about their history and culture.

Several states, including New Jersey, Utah, and California, have made efforts to increase access to higher ed for incarcerated young people. The need partly stems from recent juvenile justice reforms that allow young adults to stay in youth facilities for longer.