Higher Education Behind Bars - Expanding Post-Secondary Educational Programs in New England Prisons and Jails

Oct 15, 2026

Report examining the expansion of post-secondary education in New England prisons and jails, grounded in regional statistics, demographic information, and qualitative interviews with professors, Department of Corrections coordinators, and incarcerated people. Analyzes how higher education relates to recidivism reduction, employment outcomes, and shifts in self-concept, while summarizing program availability from GED and associate-degree offerings to bachelor’s degree grants. Includes cost-benefit observations and outlines challenges and promising practices for future program development.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages35

Reading Time1 h 28 min

AccessFree to download

Introduction and History of Prison Education

Demographic Information About New England Prisons

Recidivism and Higher Education

The Price of Incarceration and Higher Education: A Cost-Benefit Analysis

Looking Outside Recidivism: Employment & Well-being

How College in Prison Increases Self-Esteem and Improves Prison Culture

Current New England Programs and Promising Practices

Challenges and Suggestions Moving Forward

Higher Education Behind Bars Expanding Post-Secondary Educational Programs in New England Prisons and Jails Brief Prepared By: Sheridan Miller, State Policy Engagement Coordinator "Finally, I’ve come to believe that the true measure of our commitment to justice, the character of our society, our commitment to the rule of law, fairness, and equality cannot be measured by how we treat the rich, the powerful, the privileged, and the respected among us . The true measure of our character is how we treat the poor, the disfavored, the accused, the incarcerated, and the condemned.” -Bryan Stevenson Just Mercy NEW ENGLAND BOARD OF HIGHER EDUCATION i EXECUTIVE SUMMARY On Dec. 21, 2020, Congress lifted the 26-year ban on federal student aid—specifically, the Pell grant—for those who are incarcerated. The decision came after along push for prison reforms that included calls for a greater emphasis on rehabilitation, reducing prison populations, and making prison sentences less harsh. New England has long been a decisive voice in providing postsecondary education behind bars, and the region persevered even after Pell grants were denied to inmates following the 1994 "Tough on Crime" laws. This brief explores the statistics and demographic information of incarcerated people in New England and in the U.S. It examines the impact of higher education on recidivism, employment outcomes, and self-concept of people in the region. Our analysis also integrates qualitative data in the form of first-hand perspectives obtained in interviews with professors, Department of Corrections coordinators, and inmates themselves. We conclude by sharing promising practices that exist in the region can serve as models for creating postsecondary education programs in New England prisons. Key Findings: There are 201,860 people incarcerated, on parole, or on probation in New England, or 1.4% of the region’s population. Click here to view interactive data about the number of incarcerated individuals in New England. Of the 45 New England prisons that publish educational data, 40 (89%) offer GEDor high school courses, 28 (62%) offer associate degree-granting courses, and 8 (17%) offer bachelor’s degree-granting programs. Federally, only 35% of state prisons offer college programming. Click here to see a map and complete list of prisons with degree granting capabilities in New England. Federally, those without a high school education recidivated at a rate of 60%, whereas formerly incarcerated people with some college experience recidivated at a much lower rate of 19.1% . In New England, though not all states measure recidivism in correlation to level of education, those states that do, indicate that the more education a person has, the less likely they are to recidivate. Not only does providing higher education in prisons and jails decrease recidivism, it also improves our regional economy. For each dollar spent on educational programming behind bars, taxpayers save $4-$5 depending on the state. Higher education al so has the ability to change an incarcerated person's life for the better. Having some college experience makes it easier to find a job postrelease, which has a resounding personal impact, and also a significant generational one. Being incarcerated is a uniquely dehumanizing experience. Providing higher education behind bars has proved to be beneficial to incarcerated students, their incarcerated peers, and to prison culture in general. Postsecondary education has the ability to positively change the life of an incarcerated person, as well as better the community and region into which they will eventually be released. NEW ENGLAND BOARD OF HIGHER EDUCATION ii CONTENTS Introduction and History of Prison Education Demographic Information About New England Prisons Recidivism and Higher Education The Price of Incarceration and Higher Education: A Cost-Benefit Analysis Looking Outside Recidivism: Employment & Well-

FAQs

What policy change affected federal student aid for incarcerated people?

On Dec. 21, 2020, Congress lifted the 26-year ban on federal student aid, specifically Pell grants, for people who are incarcerated.

What kinds of education programs are available in New England prisons?

Among the 45 New England prisons that publish educational data, most offer GED or high school courses, many offer associate degree-granting courses, and a smaller number offer bachelor’s degree-granting programs.

How does education level relate to recidivism in the report?

The report notes that higher education is associated with lower recidivism, citing a federal comparison in which people without high school education recidivated at a much higher rate than those with some college experience.

Oct 15, 2026

Uploaded by Alex Sinclair