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Incarcerated students [instagram]
Georgetown University has announced a new program that will allow Maryland prison inmates to earn a bachelor’s degree as part of the Georgetown Prisons and Justice Initiative (PJI).
The PJI will lead the program and will select its first 25 students for the five-year program this fall. According to CNN, by the program’s end, at least 125 inmates in the state prison system will have earned degrees from Georgetown.
The private university and the Maryland Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services (DPSCS) signed a memorandum of understanding last month, which begins the process. The program builds on the PJI’s work to bring Georgetown courses to incarcerated students through its Prison Scholars Program.
By leading the initiative, PJI will build upon the Georgetown academic courses they have at the D.C. jail through its Prison Scholars Program.
“We are excited to build upon the success of the Prison Scholars Program and provide an opportunity for students to earn a college degree while incarcerated,” said PJI Director Marc Howard.
“A degree from Georgetown and the interdisciplinary coursework behind it will prepare our graduates to reenter their communities and the workforce with pride in their academic achievements.”
Many returning citizens struggle to find employment after their release due to their criminal record, a lack of formal education, and large gaps in resumes, said the PJI in a press release.