Prison Scholar Fund Reducing Recidivism through Education and Employment

The Prison Scholar Fund provides education and employment assistance to help incarcerated people succeed and thrive in society while avoiding homelessness and the revolving door of reincarceration. They also advocate for reform in correctional education policies to increase access for all incarcerated students.

The Prison Scholar Fund’s core program provides access to postsecondary distance education, and they are expanding to include hybrid online courses in an offline prison environment and access to secure, digital laptops that inmates can use in their living units to complete coursework.

The goal is to help inmates pursue postsecondary degrees, and gain skills valued in the labor market. With these marketable skills, the individual, upon release, will be less likely to return to prison because he or she will have more opportunities for success and valuable credentials. Communities will thus become safer and more productive.

We must create educational opportunities to reduce recidivism among prison inmates and empower them to lead successful lives post incarceration.

Dirk Van Velzen.
Founder & Executive Director

The organization has become recognized for its work nationwide. A few years ago they were accepted into musician John Legend’s “Unlocked Futures” accelerator program.

To learn more about the Prison Scholar Fund or how you can get involved with their mission, visit their website The Prison Scholar Fund and follow them on their social media: Facebook and Instagram.