Borough of Manhattan Community College and the Institute for Justice and Opportunity at John Jay College of Criminal Justice have teamed up to create a new degree-granting Prison-to-College Pathways (P2CP) program for incarcerated students at Otisville Correctional Facility in upstate New York.
Participants in the program will earn an Associate of Arts in Liberal Arts at BMCC, making P2CP the only CUNY College-in-Prison (CIP) program providing an undergraduate degree in a New York State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision facility.
“Education is a powerful and transformative tool for social change,” said BMCC President, Dr. Anthony E. Munroe. “By expanding Prison to College Pathways (P2CP) into a degree-granting program, we are not only enhancing the educational opportunities available to our students, we are also alleviating barriers that have historically marginalized justice-impacted individuals.”
Monroe said that offering a degree pathway that is “accessible, inclusive, and responsive to the needs of our diverse student body will create opportunities for advancement and success that can help break the cycle of poverty by fostering an environment where every individual, regardless of their background or circumstance, can thrive and contribute meaningfully to our society.”
Karol Mason, John Jay College President, said that the joint partnership with BMCC will inevitably help to transform lives.
“By offering incarcerated students the opportunity to earn an associate degree, we are providing them with a vital chance to rebuild their lives, pursue their dreams, and contribute meaningfully to our communities,” she said. “This partnership with BMCC marks a significant step toward justice and equity, ensuring that no one is defined solely by their past but is empowered to shape their future.”
At a time when some public institutions are abandoning their commitment to prison education, John Jay and BMCC officials say that this effort will help address and repair the harms caused by decades of mass incarceration that have plagued many New York City communities.
They said that upon the completion of the degree program, Prison-to-College Pathways students will be able to return home after their release “with real options for continuing their education and finding meaningful employment.”
#BMCC #John #Jay #College #Team #Create #PrisontoCollege #Pathways #Program #Incarcerated #Students
