THE FORTUNE SOCIETY STATEMENT ON THE RESTORATION OF THE TUITION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM

Stanley Richards, Deputy CEO of The Fortune Society, issued the following statement on the restoration of the Tuition Assistance Program (TAP): “The Fortune Society celebrates the long-overdue restoration of the Tuition Assistance Program (TAP) for people who are incarcerated and pursuing higher education. For 26 years, as we systemically and disproportionally targeted black and brown communities with “tough on crime” policies, people in prison were denied access to TAP. Therefore, restoring this critical source of support is a matter of racial and economic justice. People who participate in college programming while in prison are better-positioned to secure employment and support themselves and their families when they return home, which creates stronger communities across generations.

Providing educational programs in carceral settings is also a proven, long-term, cost-effective means of enhancing public safety: people who participate in educational programs while incarcerated are far less likely to have further criminal legal system involvement after their release. One study demonstrated that a full 66% of people who were incarcerated and did not earn a degree returned to prison within three years. In stark contrast, only 5.6% of those who earned a college degree did, and that number dropped to less than one percent for those who obtained a master’s degree.

But these statistics, while important, cannot capture the profound impact access to higher education for people in prison has on the children and communities of those who earn these degrees. Often coming from communities that have low rates of educational attainment, people who return from prison with college or graduate credits and degrees serve as role models and beacons of hope.

When we support educational programs for people in prison, we are supporting their ultimate successful reentry – because people do come home. We all deserve for them to come home prepared to move forward and live lives of contribution – as do so many of our Fortune staff, leaders, and Board members every day.

Fortune champions the hard work of the many organizations that have fought for years to bring TAP back. We send particular gratitude and congratulations to our Board member Dyjuan Tatro for his tireless advocacy in this arena.”