Dive Brief:
- A new partnership between the Philadelphia District Attorney's Office and Community College of Philadelphia offers to expunge felony charges for those who choose one year of college over prison time.
- University Business reports the Future Forward Initiative is open to those with nonviolent felony convictions and does not cover the cost of college, but supports those who qualify as they apply for financial aid.
- To enter and finish the program with an expunged record, students must be at least 24, have a high school diploma or equivalent, get accepted to the community college, complete 27 college credits in one year, and remain arrest-free.
Dive Insight:
Incarceration so often serves to further entrench individuals into a life of crime and poverty. Criminal records limit opportunities for ex-felons who want to get their lives back on track. The Future Forward Initiative expands on the Re-entry Support Project, which the Community College of Philadelphia founded in 2010 to help former inmates transition to higher education.
Recognizing the power of such programs, President Obama restored Pell Grant eligibility for certain inmates last summer. California responded with a pilot that pairs community colleges with nearby prisons for a handful of courses each semester that help prisoners on their way toward a liberal arts degree.
Bard College also offers an education to inmates through the Bard Prison Initiative, the largest program of its kind in the United States.