Policy and Research
EJP’s Policy & Research Team conducts research and engages in policy analysis to enhance access to quality higher education for incarcerated individuals. We support the development, implementation, and monitoring of policies related to higher education in prison, reentry, and other issues that impact our students at the campus, state, and national level.
Click on the button below to learn more about the Policy & Research Team’s mission.
Mission
We believe that policies that support higher education in prison (HEP) are necessary for a model college-in-prison program to flourish. Accordingly, the mission of EJP’s policy and research division is to educate and equip HEP stakeholders with knowledge, skills, and confidence to produce research and practice civic engagement that advance such policies.
We also believe that punitive incarceration damages our society. As such, we embrace policies, practices, and dialogues that:
- Challenge the dominant narrative around incarceration
- Mitigate the impacts of incarceration
- Support the creation of more humane and just responses to harm and violence
- Allow HEP programs to flourish only as long as prisons exist
Our team is supported by a generous grant from the Joyce Foundation and a dedicated group of students, faculty, and allies from across the country. We aim to:
- educate around the need for policy change in Illinois and at the University of Illinois
- produce research and resources to support the implementation of thoughtful, evidence-based, ethical policies
- create models and toolkits for other states and universities that want to support systems-involved individuals
EJP’s Policy & Research Team
Campus Initiatives
EJP is a unit at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (UIUC), a top-tier research university and a public land grant institution. Our campus is committed to promoting equity, providing access, and contributing to the public good. As UIUC boldly reimagines the role of a land-grant university in the 21st century, EJP promotes the inclusion and empowerment of system-impacted individuals on campus. We engage in (1) continued investigation of how the university can be a place where system-impacted people are valued, welcome, and feel they can fully participate and (2) intentional creation of resources to foster their success as students and employees.
Campus Scan
We are conducting a campus scan to inform this work and the implementation of our Prison-to-Gown Pathway (see below). The campus scan is an examination of the policies and practices of campus units with which formerly incarcerated individuals are likely to have contact. EJP is conducting this audit to identify the challenges systems-involved people face when pursuing higher education and/or employment opportunities at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. This research will determine where supports exist and how we can better ensure that our campus is inclusive and welcoming. This benefits both formerly incarcerated individuals and the university because critical engagement, through research, teaching, and public engagement, with criminal justice and allied subjects requires participation of people who have a range of knowledges on the subject, including those with lived experience.
If you’re formerly incarcerated and have interacted with the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign in the past 15 years, we’d love to learn from you. Please email policy@educationjustice.net to schedule an interview.
Preliminary findings reveal that criminal history disclosure requirements and criminal background checks are primary and pervasive barriers to pursuing education and employment at UIUC. To mitigate and ultimately remove these barriers, EJP’s Policy & Research Team is creating resources to support systems-involved applicants and encourage university leaders to remove barriers.
Prison-to-Gown Pathway (PGP)
Justice-impacted students often face significant obstacles in accessing and succeeding in higher education making them 8 times less likely to complete a college degree. Addressing these barriers is crucial to creating an equitable educational environment where students can succeed.
The Prison-to-Gown Pathway (PGP) is dedicated to supporting justice-impacted individuals as they pursue higher education at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. Recognizing the unique barriers faced by this population, PGP provides guidance, resources, and referrals to assist students from the application process through graduation, ensuring they receive the support necessary to thrive both personally and academically.
To get involved or request resources, please email pathway@educationjustice.net.
Statewide Efforts
EJP has played an active role in multiple statewide efforts to enhance higher education in prison across Illinois, including the Freedom to Learn Campaign, the Illinois Coalition for Higher Education in Prison, and the Illinois Higher Education in Prison Task Force. In collaboration with other higher education in prison programs, higher education institutions, and state agencies, we aim to increase access to high-quality education for currently and formerly incarcerated individuals throughout our state.
Freedom to Learn Campaign
Founded by EJP in 2019, Freedom to Learn (FTL) is a statewide campaign that calls for clear and fair policies that allow incarcerated individuals to pursue their studies free from undue interference or interruption of academic and intellectual pursuits. Specifically, FTL advocates for:
- Freedom to pursue higher education while in prison
- Freedom to study without interference
- Freedom from censorship
- Freedom to continue education upon release
Two achievements that have resulted from this campaign are:
- House Joint Resolution 27 established the Illinois Higher Education in Prison Task Force. This bill passed unanimously in October 2021, creating the first statewide task force on higher education in prison in the nation.
- House Bill 3648 requires the Illinois Department of Corrections, the Illinois Community College Board, and the Illinois Board of Higher Education to collect and report data on higher education in prison programs. This legislation went into effect on January 1, 2024.
Illinois Coalition for Higher Education in Prison
The Illinois Coalition for Higher Education in Prison (IL-CHEP) is a coalition of higher education in prison programs, educators, students, alumni, and advocates dedicated to (1) expanding access to quality higher education opportunities for all people incarcerated in Illinois and (2) supporting policies that abolish our state’s and nation’s reliance on criminalization and incarceration. EJP was a founding member of IL-CHEP and remains actively involved in the coalition.
HEP in Illinois
There are several active efforts to enhance higher education in prison (HEP) in Illinois. EJP plays an active role in all of them. Continue reading to learn more about the Illinois Higher Education in Prison Task Force, the Illinois Coalition for Higher Education in Prison, and the Freedom to Learn Campaign.
Illinois Higher Education in Prison Task Force
The Illinois Higher Education in Prison Task Force was established by the 102nd General Assembly and tasked with four primary objectives:
- Analyze existing data on HEP in Illinois.
- Identify data points that should be collected to allow for meaningful, statewide evaluation of HEP.
- Assess barriers and opportunities to HEP in Illinois, including those related to continuing higher education upon release.
- Recommend a legislative action plan to expand access to HEP in Illinois and propel Illinois to being a national exemplar in that area.
The task force met between February and July 2022 and submitted a final report to the Governor and General Assembly in October of 2022. There were 15 members appointed to the task force, including state legislators, academic officers at institutions involved with HEP, HEP administrators, and representatives from the Illinois Department of Corrections, the Illinois Community College Board, the Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority, and the Illinois Board of Higher Education.
EJP was represented on the task force and provided technical assistance to the task force. Rebecca Ginsburg, EJP Director, was appointed to the task force as a recognized expert on higher education in prison; Orlando Mayorga, EJP alum, was appointed by the Governor to serve as chair; and, Ashton Klekamp (Hoselton), EJP Policy & Research Director, was invited as a subject matter expert to present to the task force and contribute to the final report.
EJP Policy Resources
Look here for policy fact sheets, position statements, and other resources created by EJP’s Policy & Research Team. The list will continue to grow as we build out our work, so keep checking back!
Higher Education in Prison (HEP) In Illinois Research
2024 IL HEP Directory
HEP FAQ
Position Statements
Prison Abolition
Measuring Success in HEP Programming
Guidelines for Representing Students in Higher Education in Prison
The Importance of In-Person Instruction in Prison Higher Education Programs
Allied Policy & Advocacy Organizations
There is a lot of work to be done and it cannot be accomplished alone! Below are several organizations, coalitions, and campaigns that work to advance goals related to EJP’s and we are grateful for their work. We always learn from them and often take advantage of opportunities to collaborate with them.
We encourage you to check out their websites and learn more about efforts you may want to support.
