Deciding to pursue higher education can be a difficult choice for anyone, particularly for people who have been involved with the criminal justice system. It’s increasingly important that everyone has the same access to education because it can help transform people’s lives, especially after they’ve been away, by helping them reenter their communities. While there are options for incarcerated and recently incarcerated people to access to higher education, the process can be uninviting and complicated–with very few resources explaining it and a lot of misinformation.
CUP collaborated with the Prisoner Reentry Institute and designer Miles Barretto to create Is College For Me?, a pocket-sized foldout that demystifies and breaks down the process of enrolling in college. The colorful foldout explains the various types of degrees, types of schools, and resources. It also breaks down the steps one can take both while in still in prison and after coming home.
Is College For Me? will launch at a back-to-school workshop for new and returning students enrolled in PRI’s Educational Initiatives program. PRI is distributing over 3,000 copies to its community members and network of partners in prisons across New York State.