A unique program begun last year involves religious services and pastoral counseling provided to hearing impaired inmates with the help of four volunteer chaplains. Other volunteer chaplains have done especially well in expanding pastoral services to Special Treatment Center inmates. Last year the prison began offering a regularly scheduled Catholic mass in Spanish. Volunteers have logged approximately 13,025 hours in service, and are involved in such programs as Catholic masses, various Protestant services and studies, Jewish services, Nation of Islam services, Prison Fellowship services, and Women's Aglow ministries. The unique diversity of the inmate population at Dixon presents a specialchallenge to the educational department.
Instruction begins at the non-functioning level and follows through to a bachelor's degree.
Special education services are provided by full-time special education instructors. These classes offer the option of a certificate or an associate's degree. Lewis University staff provided vital resume development assistance to PreStart students, developed new database management tools to streamline course offerings and registration, and participated in a new Life Skills Referral Program to assist inmates scheduled for release in searching for jobs. Roosevelt University is contracted to teach all upper level classes leading to a bachelor's degree. This year, Roosevelt awarded eight degrees to Dixon inmates.