Fall 2018
Committee:
Legislative Affairs and Equitable Practices Committees
WHEREAS, the Student Senate for California Community Colleges (SSCCC) has been recognized by the board of governors as the voice for all the students in the California community college system, which includes currently incarcerated students, who are a growing population in the California Community College system having grown from San Quentin's only face to face instruction in 2014 to 34 out of the state’s 35 prisons now serving an approximate total of 4,500 students (Paynter, 2018);
WHEREAS, at least 95% of all state prisoners will be released from prison at some point and nearly 80% will be released to parole supervision which would transform currently incarcerated students to formerly incarcerated students (Hughes & Wilson, 2018);
WHEREAS, using education as a tool has been proven to have significant results in reducing recidivism by as much as 40% and increasing students statistical possibility of success upon reentry into our communities (Chen, 2015); and
WHEREAS, the SSCCC has placed the issues of currently incarcerated, formerly incarcerated, and system impacted students as a low tier priority and hasn't advocated for any partnerships with other organizations to help these students in their endeavors for a quality education; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, that the SSCCC adopts currently incarcerated, formerly incarcerated, and system impacted students as a legislative priority;
RESOLVED, that the Department of Legislative Affairs will assign legislative issues that affect previously incarcerated,currently incarcerated, and system impacted students to a tier 2 or higher priority;
RESOLVED, the SSCCC will form a coalition with the formerly incarcerated student led organizations that have formed on community colleges across the state; and
RESOLVED, that this partnership for previously incarcerated, formerly incarcerated, and system impacted students will focus and advocate for; 1. Access to education 2. Increased enrollment 3. Funding education for currently incarcerated students 4. Creating reentry solutions that include education as a focus point.
Citation: [1] Chen, M. (2015). Prison Education Reduces Recidivism by Over 40 Percent. Why Aren't We Funding More of It? Retrieved from
https://www.thenation.com/article/prison-education-reduces-recidivism-by-over-40-percent-whyaren t-we-funding-more-of-it
Citation: [2] Don't Stop Now: California leads the nation in using public higher... (n.d.).
Retrieved from https://correctionstocollegeca.org/resources/dont-stop-now
Citation: [3] Hughes, T., & Wilson, D. J. (n.d.). Reentry Trends in the United States. Retrieved from https://www.bjs.gov/content/reentry/reentry.cfm
Citation: [4] Paynter, B. (2018). California's Prison Education System Is Yielding Impressive
Results. Retrieved from
https://www.fastcompany.com/40547877/californias-prison-education-system-is-yielding-impressive-results
WHEREAS, at least 95% of all state prisoners will be released from prison at some point and nearly 80% will be released to parole supervision which would transform currently incarcerated students to formerly incarcerated students (Hughes & Wilson, 2018);
WHEREAS, using education as a tool has been proven to have significant results in reducing recidivism by as much as 40% and increasing students statistical possibility of success upon reentry into our communities (Chen, 2015); and
WHEREAS, the SSCCC has placed the issues of currently incarcerated, formerly incarcerated, and system impacted students as a low tier priority and hasn't advocated for any partnerships with other organizations to help these students in their endeavors for a quality education; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, that the SSCCC adopts currently incarcerated, formerly incarcerated, and system impacted students as a legislative priority;
RESOLVED, that the Department of Legislative Affairs will assign legislative issues that affect previously incarcerated,currently incarcerated, and system impacted students to a tier 2 or higher priority;
RESOLVED, the SSCCC will form a coalition with the formerly incarcerated student led organizations that have formed on community colleges across the state; and
RESOLVED, that this partnership for previously incarcerated, formerly incarcerated, and system impacted students will focus and advocate for; 1. Access to education 2. Increased enrollment 3. Funding education for currently incarcerated students 4. Creating reentry solutions that include education as a focus point.
Citation: [1] Chen, M. (2015). Prison Education Reduces Recidivism by Over 40 Percent. Why Aren't We Funding More of It? Retrieved from
https://www.thenation.com/article/prison-education-reduces-recidivism-by-over-40-percent-whyaren t-we-funding-more-of-it
Citation: [2] Don't Stop Now: California leads the nation in using public higher... (n.d.).
Retrieved from https://correctionstocollegeca.org/resources/dont-stop-now
Citation: [3] Hughes, T., & Wilson, D. J. (n.d.). Reentry Trends in the United States. Retrieved from https://www.bjs.gov/content/reentry/reentry.cfm
Citation: [4] Paynter, B. (2018). California's Prison Education System Is Yielding Impressive
Results. Retrieved from
https://www.fastcompany.com/40547877/californias-prison-education-system-is-yielding-impressive-results