“Prison education saved my life.”
— John Fenton
2022 Prison Writers Panel, Nevada Humanities Lit Crawl. From left to right: Shaun Griffin, Kesha Westbrooks, John Fenton, and Ismael Santillanes.
Our Mission, Values, and Vision
Mission
The Nevada Prison Education Project (NPEP) aims to create higher education coursework and programs at the community college and university level that lead to advanced degrees, certifications, and other valuable credentials to provide opportunities to pursue academic and career interests.
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NPEP supports expanded access to college education during and after incarceration. We recognize the powerful role that education and the humanities play in rebuilding lives and strengthening communities.
By building on existing prison education programs in the state of Nevada and collaborating with institutions of higher learning in the Nevada System of Higher Education (NSHE) and the Nevada Department of Corrections (NDOC), we work to establish bridges between institutions of higher learning and people who are currently and formerly incarcerated.
We aim to create higher education coursework and programs at the community college and university level that lead to advanced degrees (associates, bachelors, masters, professional, etc.), certifications, and other valuable credentials to provide opportunities to pursue academic and career interests.
NPEP also educates institutions and communities regarding best practices for supporting current and formerly incarcerated individuals in these endeavors.
Photo credit: WNC Higher Education in Prison Program
Values
The Nevada Prison Education Project is grounded on the following values:
One action should not define a life; everyone deserves a second chance.
Relationships and education save lives.
Everyone deserves access to higher education, information, and the pursuit of knowledge.
Higher education, and the humanities in particular, cultivate agency and dignity and can help successfully rebuild the lives of people who experience incarceration.
Education facilitates access to, and expression of, critical thinking, diverse belief systems, and personal agency.
Recidivism is structural; to be dismantled there must be paths to self-determination.
The formerly incarcerated can make valuable contributions to society and communities if given the opportunity.
We must work to dismantle forms of systemic and structural racism, classism, sexism, and other societal ailments.
Vision
The Nevada Prison Education Project envisions expansive access to higher education for people who are currently or formerly incarcerated.
The project will develop and provide pathways for individuals to pursue higher education, obtain valuable knowledge and skills, and cultivate self-determination. We envision a network of partners who assist in supporting current and formerly incarcerated people to reduce recidivism, provide educational opportunities, and, ultimately, strengthen our communities.
