(The Center Square) – The University of Utah last week launched the first national center for prison education research after receiving an $8 million grant.
The Prison Education Action Research Lab, or PEARL, aims to educate incarcerated individuals and serve as a national center for researchers and leaders working in prison education.
The $8 million grant received from Ascendium Education Group, a philanthropic organization based in Wisconsin focused on expanding access to postsecondary education and workforce training.
Research shows that providing learning opportunities to incarcerated populations carries broad societal impacts beyond prison walls, according to Erin Castro, an associate professor of educational leadership and policy at the University of Utah, quoted in a news release.
Incarcerated individuals who participated in correctional education programs were 43% less likely to return to prison within three years compared to those who did not, according to the RAND Corporation, a nonprofit think tank. RAND also reports that every $1 invested in prison education saves $4–$5 in reincarceration costs for the taxpayer.
“As educators and educational scholars, our team brings a unique approach to addressing these challenges and providing leadership to the field,” Castro said. “Housing the Lab in the College of Education demonstrates a distinct disciplinary and pedagogical approach to the work, situating incarcerated people as college students.”
The initiative aims to strengthen data and evaluation systems to better support incarcerated students and alumni. PEARL will also be a part of the Prison Education Research Initiative, which seeks to provide data and research on prison education programs for state and federal policy.
Also, “to advance educational justice for people and communities impacted by incarceration. The lab will serve as a vital resource in a growing field in need of the next generation of researchers, leaders and practitioners focused on prison education,” the website states.
PEARL plans to develop a professional online credential for prison education program leaders. In addition, it will model high-quality programming through the Utah Prison Education Project and the STEM Community Alliance Program, led by Andy Eisen, PEARL’s director of prison education.
“By expanding access to high-quality learning and elevating the scholarship that informs this work, Dr. Castro and her team are advancing a more just, more inclusive future for all learners,” said T. Chase Hagood, the U of U vice provost for student success, in a news release. “This is the kind of bold, evidence-driven innovation that transforms lives and strengthens our communities, as well as our university, for generations to come.”
UU did not respond to a request for comment from The Center Square.
