Pros And Cons Of Prison Education

1249 Words3 Pages

When prisoners are given a college level education, they become hopeful for their futures because they now have a better sense of self worth and the opportunity to get a job making it an easier transition back into society when they are released. This is the first reason I support prison education. Loretta Taylor, in her article "Prison Education Is A Smart Investment, Reduces Crime" says, “Education is a cost-effective intervention that puts prisoners on a different path that generates hope and employability.” College courses create within a prisoner the ability to see that they were created for so much more than the life of crime they have been living. They begin to see themselves as human beings capable of wonderful things, not criminals …show more content…

To begin with, though several claim that it will be cost effective for prisoners to receive a college level education, it is still not going to be easy on the public’s wallets. In order to get the funding needed for college accredited programs in prisons, taxes will have to be raised. In the article, “Pros, Cons of College Inmate Program Weighed”, State Senator Kathleen Marchione is quoted, saying “College is so expensive, and I think it sends the wrong message to people who follow the law and play by the rules.” Giving a free education to inmates over law abiding citizens is unfair. Some people say that Pell grants would pay for prison education, but some would argue that giving Pell grants to prisoners means that grants will be taken away from law-abiding citizens in need. In the article “Should Prisoners Have Access To A College Education?”, Fred Patrick, Director for the Center on Sentencing and Corrections at the Vera Institute, is correct in saying, “The fallacy of that argument is the notion that incarcerated Johnny is depriving the non-incarcerated Johnny from getting a Pell grant. The fact is that Pell grants are entitlement based. If you are low-income and eligible, you receive it. There's never been a year in which an eligible person was denied it." But one thing that Patrick fails to mention is that Pell Grants are funded through the government with our tax dollars. This means that we are indirectly having to pay for the inmates education, even when it is already a struggle for most law-abiding citizens to go to college who, instead, have to take out thousands of dollars worth in loans. Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison is quoted in the article “"Do The Crime, Get A Degree. Should Prisons Offer College Courses To Convicted Felons?", saying, “Some convicts have figured out that Pell grants are a great scam,” Hutchison said at the time, “‘Rob a store, go to jail,

Open Document