It’s not simply about providing classes. It’s about reducing administrative barriers so incarcerated students can maintain momentum despite transfers, as well as feel supported after release so they can continue on their journeys to success and stability.

For reentering individuals, the financial burden of pursuing and completing higher education programs begun in prison can be substantial and prohibitive. When surveyed, CIP students (N=114) identified several financial challenges that they anticipated would interfere with returning to school in the community.

Like other institutions of higher education, College-in-Prison Reentry Initiative (CIP) education providers were faced with shifting from in-person to fully remote coursework with the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020. Although grateful for the opportunity to continue classes, students and faculty alike described remote coursework as inferior to in-person instruction.

After conducting a multiyear evaluation of the College-in-Prison Reentry Initiative (CIP), we outline recommendations for educational providers, corrections, and other stakeholders to consider how best to prepare for and carry out their missions to provide high-quality postsecondary education to students who are incarcerated.

CIP invested $7.3 million in postsecondary education in NYS correctional settings, ultimately serving 931 students through seven higher education institutions in 17 prisons statewide.

Participation in CIP significantly reduced the risk of reconviction for a new offense following release by two thirds, or 66 percent. Specifically, students who participated in CIP had lower risk of reconviction following release at both six months and 12 months.

CIP has significantly expanded access to postsecondary programs across New York State, with many colleges and universities serving students at volumes near, or even exceeding, their targets.

ISLG’s evaluation of the CIP Initiative has sought to better understand implementation of CIP by documenting the CIP model over time, including: how programs are established and how they operate in correctional facilities, the challenges programs experience and how they navigate those challenges, and the successes programs experience in achieving the aims of the Initiative.