Case Studies
Reality
On any given day, an estimated 2.2 million children in America have at least one parent in jail or prison.
The loss of a parent to incarceration can have a significant psychological impact on a child, affect their care and create financial hardship. These children are too often forced to give up their dreams and future due to the bad choices made by their parent(s), not through any fault of their own.
Research has shown that CIPs are five times more likely to end up in prison themselves than their peers. Many CIPs have a desire to better themselves and be law abiding citizens. Our mission is to support that desire and break the cycle of generational incarceration through education.
The U.S. has the highest incarceration rate in the world. 1 out of every 100 Americans are in prison -2/3 of these were nonviolent offenses. The U.S. keeps prisoners longer than any other country. The average cost to house an offender is approximately $40,000 – $50,000 per offender per year. The average cost to send one student to college for a year, including tuition, fees, room, and board is $17,131. Trade school is less than college.
It is estimated that as many as 50% of juvenile delinquents are children with a parent who has been behind bars. Second generation crime is very real and trending upward. With a system that is locking up more inmates than it is releasing, (mandatory minimums), this is a situation that grows monthly and will continue to impact families and communities while putting a strain on our country’s resources.
It is far less expensive to send someone to college than it is to send someone to prison, which gives the college graduate a purposeful life, so he/she can give back to the community. In the U.S. alone, 3% of children under the age of 18, has a parent in state or federal prison.
Solution
The solution is to stop the cycle before it begins. By providing scholarships for these children, they will have new choices for their future. The scholarship money will go directly to the community colleges, universities, or vocational schools where they are enrolled. We will never put scholarship funds in the applicant’s hands.
When funding is available, students can request for an additional $1,000 scholarship each year (up to four scholarships), if they are in good standing with the college/technical college. By working with correctional institutions, parents, counselors, high school teachers and community leaders, we will reach these children before they follow in the footsteps of their incarcerated parents.
Education versus Incarceration is the key to stopping this trend. Reduces taxpayer burden of paying medical cost for future offenders if we get the young adults to go to college versus prison. Society knowing that the inmates are helping with their kid’s education will be positive publicity for inmates across America.