Samual N. Brown, Allen Burnett, Charlie Praphatananda and Dara Yin have stories to tell.
Their time in prison was shrouded by their reality. Three of the four were charged with murder and sentenced to life without parole. It’s what one of them, who entered prison at 20, describes as death by incarceration.
Taking college courses had been going on for decades in California prisons, but in 2016, California State University Los Angeles became the first college to offer bachelor’s degrees to people in prison.
Now, eight of the state’s 34 adult prisons have started or are soon to begin partnerships that award four-year degrees, making California a leader in expanding college degree programs into the state’s prisons.
The trend touches only a sliver of incarcerated people, however. While California incarcerates about 95,600 people in its prison system, about 230 enrolled in the fall in a bachelor’s degree program. For the four men whose stories are told in this documentary, just the chance to earn the degree made it possible for them to see themselves living a different life outside of prison. Three ultimately got their sentences commuted. The fourth was paroled.
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Norah J. Cunnningham 3 months ago3 months ago
It’s so hard for former prisoners to get any kind of meaningful work. Education Changes everything.
William Barnes 3 months ago3 months ago
I was very moved after watching this documentary I received my first teaching credential at Cal State L.A. back in 1981. Now, as I approached the end of my 45th. year in the education profession, it's so good to see that one of my many alma maters enabling so many of our forgotten citizens the ability to better themselves with increased educational opportunities. Keep up the good work, CSULA! Maybe … Read More
I was very moved after watching this documentary I received my first teaching credential at Cal State L.A. back in 1981. Now, as I approached the end of my 45th. year in the education profession, it’s so good to see that one of my many alma maters enabling so many of our forgotten citizens the ability to better themselves with increased educational opportunities. Keep up the good work, CSULA! Maybe you can help to reverse the school to prison pipeline at the other end.
Matt Antonioni 3 months ago3 months ago
This is the true meaning of rehabilitation, and it’s a good thing that prison helps ensure prisoners don’t just come back a few years after release. Prisoners would then only be a burden to society both inside and out. It’s too bad that only a few prisons are leading the way, hopefully more follow suit.