Prison Education

Smith currently serves as Executive Vice President of Concordance Academy of Leadership, a local nonprofit organization devoted to reducing incarceration rates through education and community engagement.

“We are a one-stop shop for people who come out of prison. We provide housing assistance, legal assistance, cognitive behavioral therapy for people with mental health struggles,” Smith said. “We provide education, preparation for the HiSET test, job readiness, guaranteed employment for a year, spiritual care, and support teams who dedicate a year to surround a person and make sure that people are ready to be on track.”

To avoid selection bias, 250 participants are selected at random to join Concordance Academy. Johnny Hampton is one of them, and is currently several months into his year-long partnership.

“Concordance has been a big help. It has helped me get up on my education, how to approach a job, how to do it and when to do it, what to wear. It gives inmates a second chance not having nothing. It helps you get food stamps and anything you need,” Hampton said.

In addition to guiding him through the process of reentering society, Concordance Academy surrounded Hampton with a support system.

“I don’t even know my old life anymore. If you aren’t positive or have something positive going on, I don’t condone it. They really taught me who to be around,” Hampton said. “I went to University City High school, but I dropped out in order to sell drugs.”

Washington University professor Margaret Garb serves as Co-Director of the Washington University Prison Education Program.

“We offer a liberal arts education; anything that’s offered on campus, we try to offer in the prison. This isn’t vocational training; this isn’t therapy. This is a liberal arts education because we believe in the value of having education for everyone, whether you’re in prison or not,” Garb said.

Despite these offerings, Garb contrasts the prison and university teaching experiences.

“You can’t ever forget that you’re there, that you’re in prison when you’re in the room with them. You are, obviously, in a prison. To get to the classroom you have to sign in with a guard, they give you a handheld alarm you are supposed to take with you at all times. You have to go through security,” Garb said.

However, some of these same differences bring new perspectives to the classroom.

“The discussion is on a pretty high intellectual level. There are moments where the men in the room could be students anywhere, they’re as smart, as sharp, as insightful. They are very good readers. In some ways it’s very different, in some ways it’s a classroom where you have some very serious and engaged students. It’s a really rewarding teaching experience because the students are so serious, so smart,” Garb said.

Garb believes that prison education programs and prison education, in general – allow prisoners to better appreciate and fulfill their potential.

“Most of them never got through high school, they got a GED in prison. Most of them had bad experiences in high school, they didn’t like it, didn’t feel smart, didn’t feel encouraged. Over the course of a couple semesters, as they realized they were smarter than they thought they were, that they were more capable than they thought they were, reading difficult books and writing papers, you just see them gain confidence and become serious scholars. Most of them weren’t certain that was going to happen. They were curious, interested, but they didn’t know what this college thing was about,” Garb said.

While in prison, Hampton took advantage of his exposure to educational opportunities, specifically those offered by the Washington University Prison Education Program.

“I took Washington University classes and I got my GED in prison. Then since I got out, Concordance has helped me look at colleges I want to go to,” Hampton said. “I am still going to [get] around to college to get my psychology degree. I was thinking about going to Fontbonne University, but I haven’t made a total decision yet. I want to be a motivational speaker for the youth. My goal is to go worldwide.”

Hampton testifies to the successful approach of the Concordance Academy and to the benefits derived from being part of prison education programs, in general.

“It has been a really positive experience. Ninety percent of the people who have come out with me have a job, someplace to stay, and they aren’t homeless. That’s all thanks to Concordance. They helped us learn who we are and what we need to be to succeed. Without Concordance, I would probably be out there on the street selling drugs, probably living the crime life,” Hampton said.

Hampton spoke to the importance of his and his fellow participants’ long-term commitment to education and reform.

“Everything ain’t perfect, but they are learning as they go. You just have to stick with [the] program,” Hampton said.