October 29th 2023.
Bowie State University is making history as the first HBCU in Maryland to offer incarcerated men the opportunity to earn a Bachelor's degree. This program, officially launched in the fall semester of 2022, provides men with access to core classes such as math, science, and literature, as well as specialized courses related to more specific trades.
Thanks to the Second Chance Pell Grant, the program has already started to yield positive results. According to AfroTech, the program has made it 48% less likely for an incarcerated person to be re-incarcerated after their initial release.
Chair of BSU's Department of Criminal Justice, Adams, highlighted the importance of the program for inmates of Jessup Correctional Institution. He said that “this program is important to every citizen of Maryland because 90% of those who come in come back out. It’s far more damaging to release someone who is ill equipped. It gives them a second chance in life.”
Adams expressed that the program has been successful, but the institution is in desperate need of more resources. The incarcerated students have shown dedication to their learning, but there is a need for more classes, tutoring time, professors, books, materials, and access to online research journals. Some professors have gone as far as to work weekends to ensure that inmates have time to meet with tutors face to face.
BSU is “aggressively” seeking external funding and hiring more staff, like adjunct professors, in order to meet the needs of the program. In addition, the university is preparing to launch a pilot program for incarcerated women this fall.
As the program continues to experience success, the hope is that it will serve as an example for other universities to follow and provide even more incarcerated individuals with the opportunity to make positive changes in their lives.
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