S3E2: Reducing Recidivism Through Education, Science and Nature

Season Three is all about the Sustainability in Prisons Project (or SPP), and how they bring education and training into the prisons to reduce recidivism and protect and enhance our environment. In this episode we interview James Jackson, who serves as an education reentry navigator at The Evergreen State College. He shares some of his experiences with the prison system and the importance of education in breaking the cycle of incarceration. We will also hear again from Kelli Bush, Co-Director of the Sustainability in Prisons Project, who shares more about what SPP is all about.

Interviewees

James Jackson

James is the Education Reentry Navigator at The Evergreen State College. He works to match formerly incarcerated students with colleges in the South Puget Sound that best meet their needs, and helps them transition from prison to life on campus.

Kelli Bush

Kelli Bush is the co-director of the Sustainability in Prisons Project. She helps bring nature, science and environmental education into prisons in Washington. She also leads staff from the Evergreen State College that coordinate programs in the prisons. She has a Bachelor's degree in Agriculture Ecology from The Evergreen State College.

The Prison System

James (JJ) Jackson was formerly incarcerated in the US Federal prison system. He graciously shares some of his experiences with the prison system and with education in and out of prison. James starts out by providing some statistics indicating that formerly incarcerated people who earn a college degree are much less likely to recidivate. Similar reports can be found here and here. He then talks through his experience and motivations while incarcerated, including education he had access to and programs such as the Residential Drug Abuse Program (RDAP) that he could have participated in (listen to the episode to find out why he chose not to participate in this program). He also shares a bit about his experience with reentry and some of the challenges people face with reentry, including housing, substance abuse, and jobs.

James says education is something the Washington corrections system is doing well. Washington is unique in hiring education navigators to help incarcerated students navigate the college system and the transition from prison to college campuses. Federally, education grants, that were stripped during the Tough on Crime legislation in the 1980’s and 1990’s, for all currently and formerly incarcerated students are scheduled to be fully reinstated in 2023.