Community News

Happenings relevant to the higher education in prison community...

Submit
News
Submit a Job

Prison Journalism Project article | Michigan Is Turning an Entire Prison Into a College Campus

Oct 13, 2026
By:
Christopher Dankovich

Michigan is leading the way in smart-on-crime policy by becoming the first state to turn an entire correctional facility into a secure college campus. The state Legislature recently allocated $3.9 million to transform an unused industrial-scale warehouse within Thumb Correctional Facility in Lapeer into a self-contained college center. The college will provide higher education classes to all of the over 1,000 state prisoners held at the prison. Once completed, the campus building will house dozens of classrooms, a computer room without internet, a library and a small cafe with food available for purchase by professors and students.

Prison Journalism Project article | Michigan Is Turning an Entire Prison Into a College Campus

Oct 13, 2026
By:
Christopher Dankovich

Michigan is leading the way in smart-on-crime policy by becoming the first state to turn an entire correctional facility into a secure college campus. The state Legislature recently allocated $3.9 million to transform an unused industrial-scale warehouse within Thumb Correctional Facility in Lapeer into a self-contained college center. The college will provide higher education classes to all of the over 1,000 state prisoners held at the prison. Once completed, the campus building will house dozens of classrooms, a computer room without internet, a library and a small cafe with food available for purchase by professors and students.

Open Campus article | Tufts pauses prison reentry program after shooting, leaving students in limbo

Oct 13, 2026
By:
Charlotte West

A former participant in Tufts University’s prison education program in Massachusetts allegedly opened fire off campus in May, critically injuring two people. In the months since, Tufts has paused the program’s reentry services, frozen its bachelor’s degree pathway for currently incarcerated students, and moved its founding director into an advisory role. The reentry program was a launch pad for people coming home from prison — housing, employment and financial support alongside college coursework. Now it’s on hold, and students still inside are left uncertain whether the years they’ve spent working toward a Tufts degree will lead anywhere.

Open Campus article | Tufts pauses prison reentry program after shooting, leaving students in limbo

Oct 13, 2026
By:
Charlotte West

A former participant in Tufts University’s prison education program in Massachusetts allegedly opened fire off campus in May, critically injuring two people. In the months since, Tufts has paused the program’s reentry services, frozen its bachelor’s degree pathway for currently incarcerated students, and moved its founding director into an advisory role. The reentry program was a launch pad for people coming home from prison — housing, employment and financial support alongside college coursework. Now it’s on hold, and students still inside are left uncertain whether the years they’ve spent working toward a Tufts degree will lead anywhere.

Ithaka S+R report | Open in Prison Spaces: The Potential and Limitations of Open Educational Resources and Practices in Higher Education in Prison

Oct 13, 2026
By:
Ess Pokornowski, Sindy Lopez

Ithaka S+R was commissioned by the Midwestern Higher Education Compact (MHEC) to explore the potential for, and limitations of, open educational resources (OER) and open education practices in higher education in prison. Conducted in dialogue with MHEC and the New England Board of Higher Education (NEBHE), this exploratory study draws on research, interviews, and a focus group with stakeholders from MHEC and NEBHE member states. The report is intended primarily for open education practitioners and advocates interested in understanding how OER is currently used in prison education and how they might begin working with colleagues in this field. For OER practitioners interested in entering this space, the important initial steps are to build relationships, listen to colleagues with experience in prison education, and approach the work with care.

Ithaka S+R report | Open in Prison Spaces: The Potential and Limitations of Open Educational Resources and Practices in Higher Education in Prison

Oct 13, 2026
By:
Ess Pokornowski, Sindy Lopez

Ithaka S+R was commissioned by the Midwestern Higher Education Compact (MHEC) to explore the potential for, and limitations of, open educational resources (OER) and open education practices in higher education in prison. Conducted in dialogue with MHEC and the New England Board of Higher Education (NEBHE), this exploratory study draws on research, interviews, and a focus group with stakeholders from MHEC and NEBHE member states. The report is intended primarily for open education practitioners and advocates interested in understanding how OER is currently used in prison education and how they might begin working with colleagues in this field. For OER practitioners interested in entering this space, the important initial steps are to build relationships, listen to colleagues with experience in prison education, and approach the work with care.

ECS report | 50-State Comparison: State Duties and Coordination of Higher Education in Prison Programs

Oct 13, 2026
By:
Jennifer Thomsen, Lauren Bloomquist, Shytance Wren

The research is clear — access to postsecondary education in prison increases the odds that individuals will secure employment after release, supporting economic stability and decreasing the likelihood of recidivism. State policymakers play an important role in ensuring incarcerated learners have access to the programs and support they need to succeed. This 50-State Comparison is intended to help state leaders understand the state policy ecosystem of higher education in prison programs across the country. It provides information on which state agencies have duties and responsibilities for programs that offer postsecondary credit, degrees, or industry-recognized credentials and on the statewide coalitions, consortia, and task forces that provide advice or support.

ECS report | 50-State Comparison: State Duties and Coordination of Higher Education in Prison Programs

Oct 13, 2026
By:
Jennifer Thomsen, Lauren Bloomquist, Shytance Wren

The research is clear — access to postsecondary education in prison increases the odds that individuals will secure employment after release, supporting economic stability and decreasing the likelihood of recidivism. State policymakers play an important role in ensuring incarcerated learners have access to the programs and support they need to succeed. This 50-State Comparison is intended to help state leaders understand the state policy ecosystem of higher education in prison programs across the country. It provides information on which state agencies have duties and responsibilities for programs that offer postsecondary credit, degrees, or industry-recognized credentials and on the statewide coalitions, consortia, and task forces that provide advice or support.

Opportunity | Apply for the 2027 Bridging Pathways Policy Academy by October 23rd

Sep 28, 2026
By:

The National Governors Association (NGA) has launched a higher education in prison initiative to support Governors’ offices and senior state leaders in expanding access to high-quality postsecondary education and career pathways for people who are incarcerated. The Bridging Pathways Policy Academy helps governors and state/territory leaders close a persistent gap: higher education and corrections systems often operate under different mandates, governance structures, funding models, and data systems, which makes it hard to sustain and scale postsecondary education programs (PEPs) in correctional settings, even where individual programs are strong. Any state or territory in good standing with NGA is eligible to apply by October 23rd.

Opportunity | Apply for the 2027 Bridging Pathways Policy Academy by October 23rd

Sep 28, 2026
By:

The National Governors Association (NGA) has launched a higher education in prison initiative to support Governors’ offices and senior state leaders in expanding access to high-quality postsecondary education and career pathways for people who are incarcerated. The Bridging Pathways Policy Academy helps governors and state/territory leaders close a persistent gap: higher education and corrections systems often operate under different mandates, governance structures, funding models, and data systems, which makes it hard to sustain and scale postsecondary education programs (PEPs) in correctional settings, even where individual programs are strong. Any state or territory in good standing with NGA is eligible to apply by October 23rd.

WBEZ story | More people than ever are trying to get into college classes in Illinois prisons. It hasn't gotten easier.

Sep 21, 2026
By:
Charlotte West

Access to college classes in Illinois prisons is falling further behind demand, even as the state makes progress getting people into GED and literacy programs. That’s according to data published by the Illinois Department of Corrections at the beginning of September. The number of people on educational waitlists significantly exceeds the number taking classes. Since last year, the number of people on the waitlist for college classes has increased by 80%. Around 2,600 out of the approximately 30,000 people incarcerated in Illinois are enrolled in higher education, while another 3,700 are on a waitlist, according to IDOC.

WBEZ story | More people than ever are trying to get into college classes in Illinois prisons. It hasn't gotten easier.

Sep 21, 2026
By:
Charlotte West

Access to college classes in Illinois prisons is falling further behind demand, even as the state makes progress getting people into GED and literacy programs. That’s according to data published by the Illinois Department of Corrections at the beginning of September. The number of people on educational waitlists significantly exceeds the number taking classes. Since last year, the number of people on the waitlist for college classes has increased by 80%. Around 2,600 out of the approximately 30,000 people incarcerated in Illinois are enrolled in higher education, while another 3,700 are on a waitlist, according to IDOC.

Washington Secretary of State blog | How prison libraries are preparing patrons for bright futures

Sep 21, 2026
By:
Helen Smith

Earlier this summer, the Washington State Library consulted on federal legislation that aims to support state and federal prison library services. Rep. Rick Larsen introduced the bill, called the “Read for Reentry Act,” which would study the link between library services and positive outcomes for patrons after they’re released from incarceration. The Washington State Library has branches in multiple prisons, state hospitals and one juvenile facility. A report from the American Library Association suggests that prison libraries’ unique offerings better prepare patrons for life after incarceration, versus people who do not have access to these services. With the data from the study, “We would have better arguments to increase support for prison library services, whereas now things tend to sit at a theoretical level,” said Institutional Library Services Program Manager Russell Roe. Three institutional libraries serving in facilities around Washington state shared what the library represents to their patrons.

Washington Secretary of State blog | How prison libraries are preparing patrons for bright futures

Sep 21, 2026
By:
Helen Smith

Earlier this summer, the Washington State Library consulted on federal legislation that aims to support state and federal prison library services. Rep. Rick Larsen introduced the bill, called the “Read for Reentry Act,” which would study the link between library services and positive outcomes for patrons after they’re released from incarceration. The Washington State Library has branches in multiple prisons, state hospitals and one juvenile facility. A report from the American Library Association suggests that prison libraries’ unique offerings better prepare patrons for life after incarceration, versus people who do not have access to these services. With the data from the study, “We would have better arguments to increase support for prison library services, whereas now things tend to sit at a theoretical level,” said Institutional Library Services Program Manager Russell Roe. Three institutional libraries serving in facilities around Washington state shared what the library represents to their patrons.

Press Release: Massachusetts Department of Correction Launches Pilot Remote Work Program for Incarcerated Individuals

Sep 17, 2026
By:

The Massachusetts Department of Correction (DOC) today announced a new six-month pilot program that will provide two incarcerated individuals with paid, supervised remote work experience through a partnership with the Alliance for Higher Education in Prison. Participants will work 20 hours a week and earn $25 an hour, with wages funded by the Alliance and Boston College. The pilot advances the DOC’s Align Initiative, a five-year strategic plan that calls for expanding access to professional work experience and preparing incarcerated individuals to find employment after release. The Alliance created two remote positions to support projects that advance its national mission. Following a competitive hiring process, the organization selected qualified applicants who earned bachelor’s degrees through Boston College’s Prison Education Program.

Press Release: Massachusetts Department of Correction Launches Pilot Remote Work Program for Incarcerated Individuals

Sep 17, 2026
By:

The Massachusetts Department of Correction (DOC) today announced a new six-month pilot program that will provide two incarcerated individuals with paid, supervised remote work experience through a partnership with the Alliance for Higher Education in Prison. Participants will work 20 hours a week and earn $25 an hour, with wages funded by the Alliance and Boston College. The pilot advances the DOC’s Align Initiative, a five-year strategic plan that calls for expanding access to professional work experience and preparing incarcerated individuals to find employment after release. The Alliance created two remote positions to support projects that advance its national mission. Following a competitive hiring process, the organization selected qualified applicants who earned bachelor’s degrees through Boston College’s Prison Education Program.

NASH guide | Building and Strengthening HEP Programs in Public Higher Education Systems: Lessons from 15 States

Sep 9, 2026
By:
Christina Dawkins

A companion to NASH's "Higher Education Systems in Prison Education and Campus Reentry: A National Landscape Analysis", this new guide examines how public higher education systems are coordinating, funding, and sustaining higher education in prison (HEP) programming at scale. Drawing on interviews with system-level HEP leaders across 14 programs and 15 states, the guide identifies four distinct approaches to system-level coordination and five critical indicators associated with comprehensive statewide coverage, mature programming, and sustainable funding. It is designed to support current and aspiring HEP leaders in building systemwide programs that provide high-quality, accessible higher education to incarcerated and formerly incarcerated learners.

NASH guide | Building and Strengthening HEP Programs in Public Higher Education Systems: Lessons from 15 States

Sep 9, 2026
By:
Christina Dawkins

A companion to NASH's "Higher Education Systems in Prison Education and Campus Reentry: A National Landscape Analysis", this new guide examines how public higher education systems are coordinating, funding, and sustaining higher education in prison (HEP) programming at scale. Drawing on interviews with system-level HEP leaders across 14 programs and 15 states, the guide identifies four distinct approaches to system-level coordination and five critical indicators associated with comprehensive statewide coverage, mature programming, and sustainable funding. It is designed to support current and aspiring HEP leaders in building systemwide programs that provide high-quality, accessible higher education to incarcerated and formerly incarcerated learners.

Journal article | Prisons, prison research and prison careers: Ben Crewe and Jason Warr in conversation

Sep 3, 2026
By:
Ben Crewe and Jason Warr

Ben Crewe and Jason Warr first met in 2002 when Jason was coming towards the end of a life sentence in HMP Wellingborough, where Ben was conducting his first major prison research project. Once released on parole after 12 years, Jason studied for an undergraduate degree in Philosophy, Logic, and Scientific Method at London School of Economics, before undertaking a Masters and PhD at the Institute of Criminology, University of Cambridge, the latter under Ben's supervision. At the suggestion of the editors of Incarceration, here they engage in an open dialogue about their thinking, collaboration and careers researching prisons. The process of producing this interview involved two steps. The first was a very free-ranging, recorded discussion in person over drinks, that established some of the key themes and questions. The second involved turning these themes into questions and addressing them iteratively in writing.

Journal article | Prisons, prison research and prison careers: Ben Crewe and Jason Warr in conversation

Sep 3, 2026
By:
Ben Crewe and Jason Warr

Ben Crewe and Jason Warr first met in 2002 when Jason was coming towards the end of a life sentence in HMP Wellingborough, where Ben was conducting his first major prison research project. Once released on parole after 12 years, Jason studied for an undergraduate degree in Philosophy, Logic, and Scientific Method at London School of Economics, before undertaking a Masters and PhD at the Institute of Criminology, University of Cambridge, the latter under Ben's supervision. At the suggestion of the editors of Incarceration, here they engage in an open dialogue about their thinking, collaboration and careers researching prisons. The process of producing this interview involved two steps. The first was a very free-ranging, recorded discussion in person over drinks, that established some of the key themes and questions. The second involved turning these themes into questions and addressing them iteratively in writing.

Ithaka S+R report | Serving Incarcerated Patrons: Barriers, Innovations, and Lessons from Law Libraries Across the United States

Jul 13, 2026
By:
Tommaso Bardelli, Sindy Lopez, Tammy Ortiz, Laura Brown

After a brief overview of the study’s methods and data, we present a portrait of the field: What services and materials do law libraries provide to incarcerated patrons? How do they communicate with them? What volume of requests do they receive, and how much staff time do they devote to this work? What relationships do they maintain with correctional agencies and individual facilities? The second half of the report turns to the experiences of the librarians themselves. Drawing on interview data, we examine the challenges they face, the innovations and effective practices they have developed, and the lessons they believe may be useful to others engaged in this work.

Ithaka S+R report | Serving Incarcerated Patrons: Barriers, Innovations, and Lessons from Law Libraries Across the United States

Jul 13, 2026
By:
Tommaso Bardelli, Sindy Lopez, Tammy Ortiz, Laura Brown

After a brief overview of the study’s methods and data, we present a portrait of the field: What services and materials do law libraries provide to incarcerated patrons? How do they communicate with them? What volume of requests do they receive, and how much staff time do they devote to this work? What relationships do they maintain with correctional agencies and individual facilities? The second half of the report turns to the experiences of the librarians themselves. Drawing on interview data, we examine the challenges they face, the innovations and effective practices they have developed, and the lessons they believe may be useful to others engaged in this work.

Announcing the 2026–2027 Corrections Education-to-Employment Leadership Academy (CELA) cohort

Jul 13, 2026
By:

Jobs for the Future (JFF), the Correctional Education Association (CEA), and the Alliance for Higher Education in Prison (the Alliance) have formed a strategic partnership to continue and build upon the legacy of the past four cohorts of the Corrections Education-to-Employment Leadership Academy (CELA), previously led by the Vera Institute of Justice. Now embedded as a Stakeholder Leadership Network within JFF’s Fair Chance to Advance (FC2A) Initiative, this next generation of the CELA cohort experience will focus on developing the capacities of education-in-corrections leaders to: leverage their roles within an individual agency or institution, modernize the delivery of postsecondary education within correctional facilities, and act as key players shaping their states’ broader fair chance ecosystem through the intentional development of education-to-employment pathways that lead to quality jobs with opportunities for economic advancement.

Announcing the 2026–2027 Corrections Education-to-Employment Leadership Academy (CELA) cohort

Jul 13, 2026
By:

Jobs for the Future (JFF), the Correctional Education Association (CEA), and the Alliance for Higher Education in Prison (the Alliance) have formed a strategic partnership to continue and build upon the legacy of the past four cohorts of the Corrections Education-to-Employment Leadership Academy (CELA), previously led by the Vera Institute of Justice. Now embedded as a Stakeholder Leadership Network within JFF’s Fair Chance to Advance (FC2A) Initiative, this next generation of the CELA cohort experience will focus on developing the capacities of education-in-corrections leaders to: leverage their roles within an individual agency or institution, modernize the delivery of postsecondary education within correctional facilities, and act as key players shaping their states’ broader fair chance ecosystem through the intentional development of education-to-employment pathways that lead to quality jobs with opportunities for economic advancement.

Opportunity | Apply to participate in UPEP's Student Center Cohort (deadline August 1st)

Jul 13, 2026
By:

The University of Utah Prison Education Project (UPEP) is convening a national cohort of higher education in prison programs to build Student Centers in women’s designated prisons. Over the course of three years, cohort members will collaborate to refine a scalable, student-led model of educational support inside prisons. UPEP’s Student Center model emphasizes leadership development, collective learning, consensus decision-making, and student empowerment. In the first year, cohort participants will learn about the model through Zoom calls and in-person training at the University of Utah. Participating programs will receive $20,000 per year ($40,000 total) to support the development of their Student Centers. Ideally, these funds will be dedicated to compensating incarcerated Education Advocates running Student Centers, ensuring their leadership and labor are formally recognized and supported. Applications due August 1st.

Opportunity | Apply to participate in UPEP's Student Center Cohort (deadline August 1st)

Jul 13, 2026
By:

The University of Utah Prison Education Project (UPEP) is convening a national cohort of higher education in prison programs to build Student Centers in women’s designated prisons. Over the course of three years, cohort members will collaborate to refine a scalable, student-led model of educational support inside prisons. UPEP’s Student Center model emphasizes leadership development, collective learning, consensus decision-making, and student empowerment. In the first year, cohort participants will learn about the model through Zoom calls and in-person training at the University of Utah. Participating programs will receive $20,000 per year ($40,000 total) to support the development of their Student Centers. Ideally, these funds will be dedicated to compensating incarcerated Education Advocates running Student Centers, ensuring their leadership and labor are formally recognized and supported. Applications due August 1st.

New book | Justice Lessons: System-Affected Scholars and the Future of Criminal Justice Transformation

Jul 6, 2026
By:
Grant E. Tietjen

Since the 1990s, the community of scholar-activists who have had contact with the criminal legal system has grown rapidly, solidifying into an international movement. Drawing on in-depth conversations with system-affected academics as well as his own experience with incarceration, Grant E. Tietjen traces the history, positive impacts, and future promise of this movement. By offering networks of support to system-affected people seeking higher education and using the perspectives afforded them by their lived experiences to push their disciplines forward, the movement effects reciprocal changes between the individual and the entire institution of higher education. These changes, Tietjen argues, ripple outward and stand to contribute to the wider movement against carceral responses to harm.

New book | Justice Lessons: System-Affected Scholars and the Future of Criminal Justice Transformation

Jul 6, 2026
By:
Grant E. Tietjen

Since the 1990s, the community of scholar-activists who have had contact with the criminal legal system has grown rapidly, solidifying into an international movement. Drawing on in-depth conversations with system-affected academics as well as his own experience with incarceration, Grant E. Tietjen traces the history, positive impacts, and future promise of this movement. By offering networks of support to system-affected people seeking higher education and using the perspectives afforded them by their lived experiences to push their disciplines forward, the movement effects reciprocal changes between the individual and the entire institution of higher education. These changes, Tietjen argues, ripple outward and stand to contribute to the wider movement against carceral responses to harm.