Salt Lake City—Today, twenty-three students proudly graduated from Salt Lake Community College’s (SLCC) Prison Education Program at the Utah State Correctional Facility. Sixteen received an associate’s degree, all but one in General Studies, and seven received a certificate of completion for General Education.

“As these individuals are released from prison and become our neighbors, they often face a tough transition. SLCC is happy to be helping them gain the skills and education they need to find meaningful employment,” said SLCC President Deneece G. Huftalin. “This allows them to support their families, possibly end cycles of poverty and incarceration, and become productive members in their communities.”

In the past year, more than 220 students, men and women, have participated in SLCC classes offered at the Utah State Correctional Facility. The community college anticipates around 300 students to register next fall for classes.

The SLCC prison education program (PEP) is one of the few in-person options available for students to take classes that can lead to a college degree. Currently, SLCC is the only school in the Utah Correctional Facility to offer an associate’s degree. Davis Tech has been offering technical education there since 2010.

“Providing education in the prison makes so much sense on both a practical level and a human level. It transforms individuals, strengthens families and ultimately benefits society,” said David Bokovoy, director of SLCC’s Prison Education Program. He pointed out that access to education significantly reduces recidivism. “Our students leave prison with hope, a belief in their potential, and a plan to find a job and sometimes pursue more education.”

SLCC’s prison program started as a pilot in 2017 with funding from the Utah State legislature. It began with 40 students (men and women) in seven classes. Now, SLCC offers 20 classes that can lead to six associate’s degrees: Anthropology, Business, Criminal Justice, General Studies, History and Paralegal Studies. More than two dozen SLCC faculty members teach in the Prison Education Program.

The program’s class completion rates are high, with a 92% rate for women and 66% men. (Men are more often moved to other facilities interrupting class attendance and completion).

“The opportunity SLCC provides for the students is really immeasurable. For most of our students, it is the first time they have been exposed to post-secondary education, and the first time they realize that they can succeed at this,” said Brian Fauver, Department of Corrections, education coordinator. “Education is valuable to any human. It’s not only about opening up economic opportunities, but it is also about expanding our identity and reaching our fullest potential as human beings.”

Ferosa Bluff, who earned her associate’s degree in General Education was one of a handful of students who spoke at the graduation ceremony. She spoke about how education had lifted up students’ self-esteem, self-confidence, and began to help them find purpose. “Education has allowed us to learn, grow and change as human beings.”

(Fact sheet below.)

About Salt Lake Community College

Salt Lake Community College is Utah’s largest two-year college, proudly educating the state’s most diverse student body in 8 areas of study at 10 locations and online. The majority of SLCC graduates transfer to four-year institutions, and thousands more are trained in direct-to-workforce programs. This year, SLCC is celebrating 75 years of providing Utahns with education and training in fields that builds the state’s vibrant economy and high quality of life.

Images: Available on request.

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FACT SHEET: SALT LAKE COMMUNITY COLLEGE PRISON EDUCATION PROGRAM

  • July 10, 2023 marks the first college graduation ceremony in the Utah state prison since SLCC’S prison education program (PEP) returned in 2017 to offer credited courses to incarcerated students.
  • Twenty-three students will be graduating (10 men and 13 women). Sixteen are receiving an associate’s degree, most in General Studies; seven are receiving certificates of completion for General Education.
  • In the past year, more than 220 students have participated in SLCC classes offered at the Utah State Corrections Facility. This is about 10% of the population at the facility.
  • For the fall 2023 semester, The Utah Department of Corrections and SLCC anticipate approximately 300 incarcerated students will register for classes.
  • SLCC’s prison education program is one of the few in-person options available for students to take college-credit classes that can lead to a post-secondary degree.
  • SLCC’s PEP offers six associate’s degrees: Anthropology, Business, Criminal Justice, General Studies, History and Paralegal Studies. More than two dozen SLCC faculty members teach in SLCC’s Prison Education Program.
  • The program has an impressive success rate. Women have a 92% class completion rate, and men have a 66% completion rate. (Men are more often moved to other facilities, interrupting class attendance/completion).
  • The majority of students take two classes per semester, but some take four classes (full time) per semester.
  • SLCC’s Prison Education was founded in 2017 as a pilot program with funding from the Utah State Legislature. It began with 40 students (men and women) and offered seven classes. Today, SLCC offers 20 classes during Fall and Spring semesters.
  • SLCC is one of the largest in-person prison education programs in the country in which faculty engage with students directly and teach face-to-face without relying on distance learning.
  • In 2020, the U.S. Department of Education designated SLCC as a Second Chance Pell institution, allowing incarcerated students to use federal Pell Grants to attend.
  • According to the Vera Institute of Justice, every dollar invested in prison-based education yields $4 to $5 of taxpayer savings in reduced incarceration costs.