New program offers free college degrees to SC prisoners
ORANGEBURG, S.C. (AP) — Some prisoners in South Carolina will soon be able to attend college for free.
The South Carolina Department of Corrections says it is partnering with Claflin University, a historically Black private school in Orangeburg, to offer bachelor's degrees to people incarcerated in state prisons. The program is slated to start in 2021, according to an agency news release on Thursday.
Claflin will offer the students degrees in criminal justice, psychology and organizational management, as well as minors and certificates.
The program is part of a federal initiative to help prisoners earn university credentials. School and prison officials say the partnership will help give prisoners skills to return to society successfully.