Opportunities feel slim sitting in a cell, waiting for the day of release which could be weeks from now — or years. Two inmates, escorted by a guard, walk down a dark hall until they approach yet another metal, secured doorway. On the other side, 14 UO students, a professor and 12 other prisoners await, all eager to learn collaboratively. Established in 2007, UO’s Prison Education Program offers incarcerated people hope through education.
“Love and education were the two most transformative forces in my life,” says Sterling Cunio, who was sentenced to life without parole at the age of 16. Upon his release two years ago, Cunio walked out of Oregon State Penitentiary with a bachelor’s degree.
The U.S. incarcerates more people than any other developed country. The national prison population exceeded 1.2 million people in 2022, according to a report by the Bureau of Justice Statistics. Among U.S. states in 2023, Oregon had the 27th-highest incarcerated population with 13,198 people in custody.
Over one in five state prisoners don’t have a high school diploma or an equivalent, according to the Oregon Department of Corrections. While several factors hinder reintegration after release, criminal justice researchers have long noted that poor educational opportunities increase recidivism: Improving accessibility is critical to disrupting “the revolving door” of the carceral state.
UO’s PEP is pushing to remediate these systemic flaws by bringing classes to inmates, providing enrollees the opportunity to acquire college credits or a degree and improving their well-being before release. “Inside” students must have a GED to ensure they can excel in higher-level classes. For “outside” students, they need to apply for the Salem-based program as space is limited.
Held every week, inside-out classes prioritize peer collaboration — both groups lead discussions and learn from each other. Outside students are also given a tour of and exclusive access to the prison, which helps diffuse stigmas and preconceived notions about incarcerated individuals.
“There are many aspects of learning that aren’t captured by a grade and the number of credits on a transcript,” says Shaul Cohen, the program director of PEP. “We’re able to engage with the people who are incarcerated and the students in the prisons in different ways. Inside-out in singular, brings together those two groups.”
Miriam Yousaf, a current PEP intern and UO student, emphasizes how outside students provide inside students with human connection, which she views as critical for people in isolation.
Through PEP, Cunio received his bachelor’s in social sciences and served on the steering committee, which shapes the program and works to improve the service they deliver. He continues to write poetry, which he delivers in rap form, and recently accepted an invitation to speak at the White House for the National Endowment of Arts. Cunio also works with nonprofits in Portland to shape social justice programs and is preparing for his upcoming podcast release, “Cellblocks to Mountaintops.”
“The more information you have, the more ideas you have,” says Cunio. “The more I understood some of the system or structural constraints, I could also start thinking of how I could do differently myself because I would see other things and learn about them.”
PEP doesn’t conduct research on inside students, but they monitor progress and hold dialogue with them. The steering committee is responsible for examining relevant adjustments to the program based on participant feedback. According to Cohen, several people remain engaged with PEP post-release, like Cunio.
AJ Rise, an instructor at UO, has taught math inside the prison for over a year. To foster interdisciplinary learning, PEP offers other core courses like english and science, along with more specific subject areas such as geography and conflict resolution. For Rise, a key strength of PEP is that inside students can take classes even if they aren’t pursuing a bachelor’s degree.
“All the students are much older than me with very different life experiences,” says Rise. “But I tell you what, they were there to learn. They were eager.”
Outside students share a similar passion. Hannah Bland, a Portland-based clerk for the prison program, entered PEP as an intern and decided to attend UO because of the inside-out program. Bland appreciates how the inside-out classes humanize inside students and provide outside students with a unique learning experience.
“You get to talk about things that are deeper than your everyday reality, that’s why I’m really glad we have classes that are beyond just criminal justice issues,” says Bland. “The most avid Chinese literature and Russian literature scholars are prisoners and so it’s the opportunity to talk about things that are outside of the norm.”
Although PEP primarily seeks to nurture a love for learning, several studies indicate that prison education can have other tangible payoffs. “There’s national data about the value of education and lowering recidivism. And we have every reason to believe that we’re at least as good and probably better than that data shows,” says Cohen.
Apart from offering classes in the penitentiary, PEP also sponsors an annual exhibition featuring artwork produced by inmates. This year’s collection, called “HOPE: A Human Right,” is on display at the Erb Memorial Union and illuminates the psychological impacts of incarceration. When the exhibition concludes, some of the artwork is donated by inmates and sold at First Friday and Midtown Art Center in Eugene, proceeds from which get funneled back into PEP.
“Art is many things. For me, it is an expression and therapy in these dark times behind these walls. Remember: It’s not what you know but what you don’t know and what you’re willing to understand,” writes an incarcerated artist named Shawn. The piece, titled “Skull (Rage),” depicts an elaborate skull with darkened eyes, melting teeth and is shaded with pencil to convey the internal conflict that comes with enduring a prison sentence.
Tracey Hightower, education and training administrator for the Department of Corrections, speaks to the enthusiasm surrounding the annual art display. “As soon as this one’s over and they’re finished, they’re already starting work on some of their next projects to turn in for next year,” says Hightower.
The art exhibition and PEP have a lot in common — carving out opportunities for inmates to prosper, increasing awareness about the injustice of incarceration and working to break that cycle.
PEP has provided structure and support to incarcerated peoples’ lives. Being introduced to education and fostering a positive learning space has helped many see a light at the end of the tunnel, according to Cohen.
Cohen says extending education to as many incarcerated people as possible, goes beyond just earning a degree. “We’re certain that the benefit of what we do is broader and, in some ways, more significant even than having a narrow cadre of people,” he says. “A cohort earning a credential has a much broader impact and we’re committed to that.”
Rise plans to instruct math at the prison for as long as the governing body will allow him. “This is easily the most fulfilling type of teaching that I’ve ever done,” says Rise. “It’s just incredible. I’m so lucky to be a part of this program.”.
Education is a privilege, but PEP continues to expand opportunities to some of the most marginalized and overlooked people in Oregon.
“If society wants to end recidivism, they’ll educate,” Cunio says.
