Incarcerated students graduate from top ten university for first time in US history

ABC News' Alex Perez speaks to recent graduates from the Northwestern University Prison Education Program about how the program has impacted their lives.
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[@jakckt]

This is backwards. Maybe many criminals would not end up in prison if this same free education with free housing was made available to everyone. Take all the money away from the private prison companies and put that money toward providing opportunities for all underprivileged people to get this same education and become productive members of society BEFORE they turn to crime. Also, to be fair, those in prison who receive a free education should be required to make restitution to their victims once they are free.

[@jones2277]

or they would just take their education for granted since they don't have to invest anything into it. it's the biggest difference i see between immigrants and American students.

[@DrexelGregory]

I’m a professor and I taught in a college that offers this. I initially didn’t have any opinion about it but now I’m against it. They should have student debt like everyone else. It’s a bizarre reward for bad behavior.

[@enVee539]

@jakckt: A powerful statement.....thank you!

[@russellgrimes3491]

If the education were free, most people would not take advantage of the opportunity. There are already grants and loans available. Anybody, regardless of financial circumstance, can get an education and become anything they desire. The only reason these men accepted this opportunity is that they had no other opportunity. On the street, they would have turned to hedonism and the instant gratification a paycheck or criminality provides.

[@russellgrimes3491]

@@DrexelGregoryIt is especially bizarre because many of the men will never leave prison. Why are lifers getting a formal education instead of people who might contribute to society. One doesn’t need a degree to learn. The degree is good only as “assurance” that one has met the minimum competence necessary to enter a specific profession. Given declining academic standards, even that assurance is dubious.

[@alanluong1278]

Congratulations to all of the graduate, well done, I hope they continue their education after release from prison and proof that they deserve a second chance at life 👍👏

[@Afghanistanseconomicforum]

Very positive message for a lot of people who give up

[@leedebarros7434]

That is wonderful. An educated person is a assest to society and themselves. ❤ Blessings to them all

[@aprilgibson817]

So people who don’t get the opportunity to get education or aren’t deemed smart by outdated and biased educational systems aren’t an asset to themselves and society. This should prove that EVERYONE is able to “succeed” if given the opportunity from someone else who cares enough to share what all human beings are capable of ingesting

[@isocarboxazid]

@@aprilgibson817Literally no one said that. Sit down and shut up. Jesus. 🙄

[@rrain3375]

I see a bright future of hope for these men who took the university education a step that many of them would never had been able afford prior.

[@Osyrous]

This comment has got to be a joke.

[@zachparker5953]

@@Osyrous The only joke here is you loser

[@johnwattdotca]

The American prison system is known for being about punishment, not rehabilitation. This is very good news.

[@ronswansonsdog2833]

The average law-abiding middle class American can no longer afford to attend college without going into serious debt. That is a sad fact.

[@JacobSolbux]

This is so beautiful and amazing I can't stop crying

[@Kindness4allhumans]

So inspiring!

[@16mias16]

Congratulations!!! I am so happy for you all!!! We need more programs like this one!

[@Dan.50]

This is great news. When will A-B-C be hiring them??

[@superoldgamesaturday3277]

Watch; they'll celebrate by committing a crime.

[@B86432]

imagine being a honest productive tax paying citizen who never was in trouble & has a degree ....you are labled the enemy by the media lol

[@buzzbuzzer581]

who tf is labeling anyone as an enemy are you schizophrenic

[@patienceboafo1998]

12% is very low meaning ex convicts are still stigmatised after release

[@estrada1887]

This is amazing! Well done NW!

[@GloriaW888]

What about those locked up for selling drugs. They need a free education. And so do I.

[@allykatt1849]

We are paying 100% for their education, while some of us are in debt paying for our own.

[@deidreshepherd3776]

Congrats to all the graduates. Walk tall in your academic success. I pray that other doors are opened to you!

[@glennsmith1040]

This is progressive. This is amazing. This is what this should be about. Absolutely fantastic.

[@Blackjack09721]

Does the incarnation come off of their records? Cause not passing a background check can stop you from getting a lot of jobs.

[@Crikky]

I can't contain my tears.

[@affabaffa4393]

If you treat people like people, they act like people, you treat animals like animals, they act like animals, and this program compared to normal prison is a perfect example!

[@DistrustHumanz]

Almost all decent paying jobs that require a college degree will also require a background check.

[@JuniorKishin]

Some states are disallowing background checks. I think Illinois put limits on.

[@mattglasgow4383]

And easing the transition from prison to the real world is important, but this is an important step in the right direction. Also, I would be willing to bet even with a criminal history, a Northwestern alumni could go a lot farther than someone with only a high school diploma/GED.

[@adventureswithfrodo2721]

Pencil whipped hype.

[@rebeccavl97]

LOVE this so much!! Wishin them all the best of luck in their future endeavors!

[@sudl963]

In tears watching how these initiatives cam change someone's life

[@kandy8838]

There is too much emphasis on the priosners and not on the victims and tbeir families.

[@annzeeg4217]

Most of them are probably drug arrests, due to outdated laws,,which is basically a victimless crime

[@michaeltoma9329]

A punitive only criminal system does not make society better or safer in the long run. Rehabilitation MUST be the top priority

[@charlesqueiroz573]

Kudos!

[@tracyclark7560]

schools are not learning centers, they are popularity spots bullies and their parents fight vulnerable and good citizen control. So, without distractions, state enforced follow thru discipline and rules (and a permanent stable place to live) success is eminent.

[@ZakariahSH]

I would say that’s a reform and a great initiative. Education transforms people from inside and out, and I believe people can change for good. The children and other family members of these people would be pround of these people.

[@jones2277]

i hope they weren't just passing them for a feel-good story.

[@gdiup9241]

Hopefully they are getting an education that is marketable, like engineering etc

[@IsraelCervantes-le4gf]

Yeah the other thing is that some of them are too old to start a career or serving life sentences

[@TemperXx]

Never to late to start a career my uncle is 50 and just started his own business already making 10k+ a week. @@IsraelCervantes-le4gf

[@capstar633]

Wow!!! So impressive! Bravo!

[@Joemama..]

This is great. I think these people should get released and get a second chance

[@JuniorKishin]

Only if they move next door to people who want them, like you. While you're at it, feel free to take in some migrants too.

[@txbre8758]

Good! We should seriously be focus on rehabilitation (unless it’s murder) not incarceration. There’s obvious exceptions to this but yeah

[@Maria-kg1nh]

Beautiful work. Congratulations. God's Love and Blessings ✝️ 💜.

[@mariorta5017]

Congratulations!!!!🎉🎉🎉

[@SANDYMILLER23]

God bless you!!! Congratulations!!! You deserve it🤎🙏🤎🙏🤎

[@patkelly7839]

“Hear ye, hear ye!” "want free college degree?"....

[@juliebradley6961]

Congratulations, we'll done! ❤

[@user-en1zc5vd6y]

Bravo..

[@JadedJassy21]

The prison industrial complex is working like it's supposed to. It's not about rehabilitating anyone.

[@captainlongsocks3481]

As soon as they get out. With hopes as high as their education. The first background check will start the road back to prison.

[@chrisamon80]

But I'm not. I don't go for higher education. I don't know nothing about it.

[@Grammz67]

This IS a very worthy program

[@lauren_winstead]

Wow amazing

[@x-men69-96]

No1 will hire them after run a background check

[@philoctetes_wordsworth]

This is fantastic! Where are the women? 2:00 Ok, so it is a men’s prison. Are they doing this in a women’s prison, as well? I dearly hope so.

[@luminescent__]

Exactly.. I came here looking for that same thing. Women (who are often times mothers or just actually help/ look out for other ppl besides just themselves or who they personally like), are more deserving of this, in my opinion...

[@satiricalsartorial]

This is tax dollars good at work, now put more tax dollars to education

[@blaknbeauty1]

AWESOME 💪

[@EvonneLindiwe]

I hope there’s support to do get jobs as well.

[@nuwankalanamith8670]

Congratulations.... You are lucky... Proffesors in our country, try their maximum to fail us in all the examinations.

[@RollerBladingSuxs]

All at the expenses of the taxpayer's dime.

[@zenamichelleprincezeemiche4729]

Finally🎉 a true Recidivism initiative. Great job New York and during the immigration crisis.

[@TheNaturalwoman221]

I would have been better off in prison, no hunger, a college degree (even if it was a local school), no homelessness, clean credit as soon as i got out...

[@je9417]

This would be inspirational if this didn't take opportunities away from other prospective students.

[@krisk3363]

Willingness to be educated and performing well IS a prospective student, no matter what their background is

[@je9417]

@krisk3363 yes, but you understood what I meant. It penalized people who had not committed a crime, potentially that was the source of great harm to others, for those that had made their choices.

[@LP-ct9nk]

It doesn’t take opportunities away from other non incarcerated students. They only offer this program for one major and how these programs work is that after all the paying/non incarcerated students get their spots, scholarships, etc the university will then add in spots for the incarcerated ones

[@je9417]

@LP-ct9nk it does take opportunities because they are using resources that were/could have been available to others, and those others lost those opportunities because they were only offered to incarcerated people. At very least, they ate tying up professors' time/workload, program funding, and program bureaucracy to manage their degrees. There is no "free" education - it all costs time, money, and labour. The resources are finite and incarcerated people were given priority over a certain number of non-incarcerated people who worked hard to compete for student positions in education. It's nothing against these prisoners, but the program is unfair.

[@RobertSmurda]

@@je9417 Donors gave money to the school specifically for this program. It didn't use normal school funds; it was taken out of some billionaires checking account.

[@AwaisAhmadKhan-y5w]

❤

[@ChandraNYC]

👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾

[@Splucked]

Fantastic! Education is the silver bullet.

[@ChosenOne6666]

I got my degree from U of Trump... Wooot Wooot.

[@Luis-xr6ec]

We all deserve a second chance

[@superoldgamesaturday3277]

You don't believe that about non-Democrats.

[@weekendadventures6234]

🥀🥀🥀👋🏽ANTIRAPE MAFIA 👋🏽🥀🥀🥀

[@Dominion.Intelligence]

I think people who earn a college education in prison should be given a second chance.

[@SaveManWoman]

Finally poor can afford to be good! 👏

[@robertbirch5676]

In Virginia 6 year old shot his teacher

[@fasdfasdf1783]

Make sure employers are still making background checks

[@Mr_Zod]

College degrees for those with life sentences seems a tad pointless from my point of view, what are they going to actually contribute to society.

[@jones2277]

if they're going to spend all that time locked up, they might as well use it to develop their minds.

[@MadameNoir]

Ideally they would make some kind of work program within the jail that would utilize the knowledge they obtained getting the degree. Might be able to free up funding for more needed positions by transitioning some work detail positions to peer mentors.

[@whyamiheredlb]

Ok, my question is… are they still considered a felon with a record after they graduate? Because how are they able to get a job with a felony or misdemeanor on their record? This is the same issue with most of these guys who get out, they are constantly being reminded, even after serving their time, that they are still considered a criminal and unable to find good paying work because of this record. But definitely a solid congratulations to these men, they should be proud. 🤓🙌

[@txbre8758]

Unfortunately yes

[@jones2277]

sometimes there are programs to help with employment, or there are incentives for employers to hire felons.

[@alisonfong]

Pitzer College, one of the Claremont Colleges, is the first college in the nation to offer a bachelor’s degree to incarcerated individuals. The first class graduated in 2021. It’s wonderful to see that Northwestern is also offering such a program and let’s hope more colleges and universities across the country do the same. Congratulations graduates!

[@JuniorKishin]

Colleges have offered jail degrees for decades, as fast as I know.

[@Corpvet]

Damn middle fingers to their victims huh.

[@superoldgamesaturday3277]

And middle fingers by the Democrat party to the victims.

[@laylaal9742]

Yeah so what, there’s no such thing as a victim

[@BlessingsfromBridget]

I went to their website: they only offer one major - a bachelors in social sciences. That’s not even a useful major to get a job.

[@mrmartywaring]

This is still a great starting point. If you have a plan, it can work for you.

[@LP-ct9nk]

You can get plenty of jobs with a bachelors in that major. Like the other commenter said you just need a plan

[@JuniorKishin]

Being part of the Northwestern alumni network guarantees opportunities.

[@JuniorKishin]

Eff me. I took some classes in the evening program at Northwestern but couldn't afford to keep going. Now these criminals get the degree that I should've had 20 years ago. I've been jobless and homeless but nobody helped me. Having that degree from Northwestern could've been a great blessing. Northwestern sure went full leftist and these convicts have the talking points memorized.

[@BlessingsfromBridget]

I went to their website. They only offer one degree - a bachelors in social sciences. That’s not even a good degree to get a job.

[@jenniferwithers572]

Amen

[@JuniorKishin]

The fact it's Northwestern ensures a job. They have very successful alumni who are tightly connected and helpful. That's a big benefit of the elite universities. Alumni are well placed and always give you a job.

[@jecm5014]

“I suffered so these people should suffer too” is the most insanely braindead take

[@mattglasgow4383]

Because you didn’t get the opportunity other needy people don’t deserve it? It’s a private school, they can decide who they help and it’s good to see people being helped. Over thirty states now have community college guaranteed transfer programs. In state colleges you can transfer to generally are not too expensive in-state and there are federal and state aid grants. There are opportunities everywhere. Just not the same ones for the same people.

[@charlessantee8329]

Congratulations to ya'll academic achievement I am proud of ya'll keep up the good work!

[@crypto_que]

This is great it really is awesome. I’d like for Northwestern University to use some of their $14 BILLION DOLLAR Endowment to establish programs & ensure Chicago Communities have RESOURCES! Communities with RESOURCES have lower crime rates. Over policing neighborhoods does NOTHING to deter crime and no matter how large police budgets are they do little to prevent or solve crime. The US is just now starting experiments other developed countries have been instituting such as higher education for incarcerated people.

[@gmazboog9050]

🤝🙏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏 beautiful!

[@warrinbang1191]

Get real!! While an education does have intrinsic value, a criminal record will thwart their chance for professional employment. A felon with a degree is still a felon. An expunged record is far more valuable.

[@jackieelmore1870]

Congratulations to them!