After Graduation, Back to Sing Sing Cellblock, With Hope

In 1990, federal and state governments forbade giving government education grants to convicted felons, disbanding the many programs which provided education to prison inmates.  Programs such as the Hudson Link for Higher Education were created in response to cutbacks.

At the June graduation this year, 28 men walked down the aisle to receive their diplomas.  Ten men received their Bachelor of Science degree and 18 men earned Associates degrees.  So far, Sing Sing, with the assistance of Hudson Link for Higher Education, has produced 196 graduates and an additional 107 inmates are currently enrolled in the program. It is interesting to note, out of the 196 graduates, 41 inmates have been released and not one has returned to prison.  Nationally, about 60 percent of inmates released from prison come back.

Click here to read the New York Times article.