Prisoners get a second economic chance at higher education

DELAWARE – Education is an important commitment for many people, and now people in prison have even more access to earn or pursue higher education degrees.

For years, people in prison have had to pay out of pocket to continue their education. Now, the FAFSA Simplification Act allows all eligible inmates to receive financial assistance to further their studies. “We offer getting a high school diploma as preparation for the next step. In addition to that, we also do some remedial work since you may have been out of school for a while. .Adult basic education may be necessary and is the basis for obtaining a high school diploma,” said Dr. Dwight Bonney.

Dr. Dwight Bonney said in the first state, having this opportunity allows people with records to get a second chance to get on the right path. “They're more likely to be successful when they get to the outside world because there's less recidivism. They're definitely better paid for these jobs because they're better applicants.” We've had people leave here who have not only gone on to entry-level jobs, but also gone on to become managers,'' Dr. Dwight Bonney said.

She said some inmates have already started higher education programs before serving their sentences and have experienced the hardships of student loans, and the hope is that the program will help ease their financial burden with federal funding. It is said that “We have people who have defaulted on their loans even though they may have already attended college but not graduated. It's great to be able to say, “Do I need to do this?'' And we can actually help them make the call and get them out of that situation and qualify for the FAFSA,” Dr. Dwight Bonney said.

In Delaware, participating prisons offer classes through Delaware Technical Community College. No matter where your sentence is, if you have a solid connection, you have a chance of leaving with a degree. “We had a connection with Dell Tech, and they were able to really build that connection before the release, and once it was released, they had someone they could have as a point of contact. And they say, 'Hey, I want to continue going to college.'' Dr. Dwight Bonney said.