Some earn the money working at jobs that pay .50 cents an hour. Jail officials are creating additional jobs to help more prisoners earn school money, and several local groups are offering scholarships. Classes originate on the Logan campus. USU Extension has provided higher education courses and degrees in state prisons since 1985, and today enrolls about 150 inmates each semester in the penitentiaries in Draper, Gunnison and Iron County. Rep. Pace, who is seeking additional funding to initiate programs in more Utah county jails, cited studies showing inmates who avail themselves of formal education while behind bars are less likely to be repeat offenders.
Benefits are especially dramatic among inmates completing a college degree.
The study tracked parolees released from Utah's prisons between January 1993 and August 1995. As such, the program delivers a substantial net benefit to the State of Utah. Students about to embark on a new school year at Utah State University can take some comfort from recently released survey results from the office of USU Provost G. Jay Gogue, showing that graduates do very well in the job market. Survey results, which track employment success, show that a high percentage of USU graduates are employed in areas related to their education and many remain in Utah. Those surveyed graduated in 1998, and the survey was conducted approximately 10 months after graduation, said Dave Hart, director of USU's Career Services office.