Morehouse College Offers Higher Education Courses To Georgia Inmates

The only all-male Historically Black College and University (HBCU), Morehouse College, has its own initiative to assist current inmates in being prepared for life after incarceration. A part of the  Andrew Young Center for Global Leadership (AYCGL), Morehouse College faculty members take aspects of its curriculum to Georgia-based inmates.

Prison reform is built on the premise that individuals deserve a second chance. The concept of reform has led to lower rates of recidivism and more significant opportunities for people to have a greater chance of positive rehabilitation.

According to a write-up by Morehouse associate professor Kipton E. Jensen, the AYGLC Prison Education Initiative was designed to support staff members who teach humanities courses to imprisoned men and women across the Georgia prison system.

The prison education initiative is steadily growing at a solid pace, involving more Morehouse faculty and students to assist in prison education. As of last year, the AYGLC Prison Education Initiative staff taught six humanities courses. The goal for the upcoming school year is to expand and diversify the number of studies offered.

In addition to the classes offered by current faculty members, the AYGLC will seek to pilot a series of academic workshops for imprisoned students in Georgia facilities. Students are also bolstering their involvement by participating in an essay exchange program. The faculty that are currently a part of the initiative include Drs. Corrie Claiborne, Stephane Dunn, Keith Hollingsworth, Natasha Howard, Adrienne Jones, Kipton Jensen, and Winfield Murray, Esq.

Participating facilities that host the initiative are Burruss Correctional Facility, METRO Prison and Reentry, and the Downtown Reentry Program.

The AYGLC Prison Education Initiative is led and coordinated by Sinead Younge and Professor Jenson. Understanding that collaboration can be a core catalyst to success, the program has buy-in from partners – Common Good Atlanta, Georgia Coalition for Higher Education in Prisons, and the Georgia Department of Corrections.