Solution: PROJECT P.E.R.F.E.C.T.

 

The “P.E.R.F.E.C.T.” acronym stands for Prisoner Education Rehabilitation to Fund Endowment for College Tuition.  The mission of Project P.E.R.F.E.C.T. is to develop a Social Impact Bond (S.I.B.) that Funds Endowments for College Tuition for students who pledge “I’m P.E.R.F.E.C.T.” and work online with the Prisoner Education Rehabilitation System to:
 

1. Reduce recidivism which will help make America safe again by protecting victims,
   families and communities from homicides, larcenies, assaults, and drug abuse. This will also dramatically lower DOC’s cost thereby relieving the heavy tax burden on the public.

 

1. Reduce Sentences to Reduce Prison Populations which will exponentially lower the $80
   Billion U.S. prison budget and Redistribute these extraordinary savings to Fund Endowments for College Tuition that will be given to students through stipends, grants, scholarships and student loan forgiving programs.

 

In an article in the USA Today (2014) “some prisons let inmates connect with mini-tablets.”  This allows inmates or their family to purchase a $49.99 mini-tablet that enables them to send e-mails and download music. The e-mail is monitored by the state to ensure safety and security standards. The expanded technology access in prisons is expected to be a good educational tool and help inmates transition into their communities. The devices are used to contact family and potential employers. The P.E.R.F.E.C.T. Tablet/Laptop will be significantly more advanced than a mini-tablet and essentially serve as a mobile University for correctional students (prisoners).

 

The P.E.R.F.E.C.T. University System will have unlimited educational and school websites that deliver live, on-line/streaming classes and pre-recorded programs for:

 

• Literacy Development                                                                       

• High School Diploma

• Vocational Training Certificate Programs

• Academic/Career Advisory Services

• Writing and Testing Services

• Khan Academy - Tutoring Services

• Virtual Library

• College Degree Programs

• On-line Study Groups

• Re-entry Services for Employment

• Post-Release Housing and Support Programs

• (Prisoner) College Pell Grants

• Project P.E.R.F.E.C.T Correctional Student College Loan Program

• A guide to Support Services for formerly incarcerated individuals to attend college

• Appropriate Mental Health and Addiction Services

• Selected Religious Services

• Selected DOC Programs

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Monica Olivia is getting out of prison after 13 years.  She was imprisoned for assault with a deadly weapon. She is now 37 years old and graduating from vocational computer design training program at Folson Prison. The offenders are part of a program through the California Prison Industry Authority’s Autodesk Authorization Training Center Program. Lynn Allen, a community outreach director said, “There will be so many opportunities for these women when they graduate.  It’s an open field out there and we just don’t have enough of these designers to fill all the jobs there are.”  The entire program overall cost is $400,000; but the average offender cost of ‘just one’ California inmate is $63,000 a year and the recidivism rate for women is 49%.  Overall only 7.1% of inmates who’ve received vocational tech career training return to prison.  Vocational training like Autodesk can be offered through the P.E.R.E.C.T. university system. 

 

More commonly, states are opting to use “earned time,” “good time” or credits to shorten an inmate’s term in an effort to control the prison numbers. Typically, prisoners are given credits if they participate in rehabilitation or education programs. This approach helps wardens and correctional officers by providing inmates with an incentive to take part in risk-reducing programs. Nevada lawmakers passed AB510, which increased the amount of "good time" an inmate could earn for completion of education and treatment programs. So far, the results in Nevada have been good; the incarceration rate has decreased gradually. A commission was established to monitor impacts of the reforms, which has found no increases in significant areas such as crime, arrests or court filings. 

 

A June 6, 2010, article in the New York Times by Peter Applebome, “After Graduation:  Back to Sing Sing Cellblock, With Hope,” discussed Doris Buffet’s (Warren Buffet’s sister) commitment to rescuing victims of crime by supporting prison college education. The story described the 2010 Hudson Link-Mercy college graduation in Sing Sing. The program was started in 2000 and of the 196 graduates, 41 have been released.  Not one has returned to prison.  Nationally, almost 70% of released inmates are re-arrested within three years.  Education is the answer. Ms. Buffet said, “I’m not a do-gooder. I believe in this because it works. No one can leave this graduation unconvinced.”  Sally Beatty of the Wall Street Journal lauded Ms. Buffet’s ecclesiastic wisdom for devoting her life and fortune to helping others. Scholastic training helps to prepare prisoners to become accountable, responsible and productive taxpaying citizens. The Prison University Project is the only on-site, degree-granting college program in California’s prison system. There are well over 100 teacher volunteers from schools such as UC Berkley, Stanford and San Francisco State. The coordinator of the program, UC Berkley student, Jody Lewen, decided she had to create an independent non-profit to raise funds to keep the program strong and stable. The project operates with “NO” state or federal funds.  Today, 320 inmates are enrolled in the college program through a partnership between the Prison University Program and Patten University, based in Oakland California.  Programs like this can be expanded to reach thousands of inmates in the P.E.R.F.E.C.T. on-line University System.