Credit: Julie Leopo-Bermudez / EdSource
Achieving a college degree in prison is rare, but now a select 33 incarcerated people in California can earn their master’s degrees.
California State University, Dominguez Hills, and the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation announced a partnership Thursday to launch the state’s first master’s degree program for incarcerated people. Corrections Secretary Jeff Macomber said the partnership furthers the state’s prison system’s goal to expand “grade school to grad school” opportunities.
“These efforts are vital, as education serves as a powerful rehabilitative tool,” Macomber said.
Research shows that prison programs reduce recidivism rates and help formerly incarcerated people find jobs and improve their families’ lives once they are released. Those studies show that incarcerated people are 48% less likely to return to prison within three…
