Miami Herald — State and Local Issues — Galsworthy Criminal Justice Reform Program

State and Local Issues

Because 90% of all prisoners in the United States are in state facilities, the work that states are doing to reduce their prison populations is crucial. Attempting to end mass incarceration necessitates realizing this is a situation requiring not one national solution, but fifty state solutions. Below are current state solutions that could be effectively modeled by other states for meaningful reform.

Giving inmates access to college-level education makes the community safer

“What’s more, people in prison currently are barred from obtaining federal Pell Grants to assist with postsecondary education costs, and Florida state laws prevent people who are currently or were formerly incarcerated from accessing the state’s Bright Futures grant, the largest pool of state financial aid for college. Collectively, these laws work together to form a de facto education ban for many people whether they are in prison or not. When barriers are removed, however, enrollment rates increase, which has benefits for everyone.“

Miami Herald

October 2, 2018

EducationPhillip ReevesOctober 2, 2018Miami Herald, FloridaComment

State and Local Issues

Galsworthy CJR Program

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