More prisons are offering college and technical classes to help reduce repeat offenses

An inmate from Sampson Correctional Center celebrates after receiving a degree from Campbell University in November 2023. Nine graduates received Associate of Science degrees and nine received Bachelor of Science degrees at the ceremony. (N.C. Department of Adult Correction)

The number of college and vocational programs is growing in an unlikely place – the nation’s prisons. Over the last three decades, the number of inmate education programs has jumped 40%.

As Carolina Connection’s Sofia Casini reports, corrections officials and politicians say educating inmates is one of the most effective ways to make inmates more employable and reduce the number of repeat offenders.

This story was originally published on Carolina Connection on January 20, 2025.

This story and “Are Gen Z Applicants Unprofessional or too demanding“ placed 10th in the Hearst Audio competition in 2025.