MUNCIE, Ind. – A new Indiana law denying state grants for college education to prison inmates has cost the jobs of more than 70 Ball State University employees.
State legislators last year cut off Frank O’Bannon grants to inmates, including about 1,000 enrolled in Ball State classes. Those cuts mean a loss of about $3 million a year to Ball State and have resulted in the loss of all but four of Ball State’s 80 prison teaching jobs. Most of those positions were filled by part-time adjunct faculty.
“We are exploring options, but there is nothing firm now,” Indiana Department of Correction spokesman Doug Garrison told The Star Press. “One possibility is an offender-funded correspondence course. Another is a very limited program at one or two facilities that may involve the use of college-accredited volunteer instructors. This is all very preliminary, and I have no more details than this.”
Unemployment is often cited as a reason for repeat offenses, and program supporters say the education cuts could result in released prisoners having more trouble finding jobs.
