UWI Prison Project Creating Pipeline to Success

Several inmates at the Tower Street Adult Correctional Centre have been equipped with a marketable skill in Entertainment Business to enable them to become productive citizens when they return to society and reduce the chances of them going back to crime.

They are the first cohort to benefit under the University of the West Indies (UWI) Mona Prison Project (UMPP), which involves collaboration with the Department of Correctional Services (DSC).

The aim is to increase access to higher education and improve reintegration outcomes for incarcerated people in Jamaica.

Two correctional officers also participated in the pilot Entertainment Business Certificate programme, which was conducted by the Institute of Caribbean Studies and the Reggae Studies Unit over five months from March 13 to July 31.

Minister of State in National Security, Hon. Juliet Cuthbert-Flynn, said the programme is about enhancing the earning potential of the inmates upon their release, while also fostering a lasting shift in the mindset of the participants, that of transformation and reintegration.

“By gaining foundational knowledge in business and management within the cultural and creative industries, these individuals have fortified their potential for future success,” she noted.

Mrs. Cuthbert-Flynn was addressing the recent certification ceremony held at the Tower Street Adult Correctional Centre in Kingston.

She said that, as the inmates step back into the world beyond the prison walls, doing so with newly bestowed skills will serve as both a shield against adversity and a tool with which to carve their own path.

“As we look ahead, let us stand united in our commitment to creating a society that embraces second chances and nurtures the potential of every individual. The UWI-Mona Prison Project is a testament to the power of unity, education, and the unbreakable human spirit. May this project continue to flourish, guiding more souls towards a path of transformation and success,” Mrs. Cuthbert-Flynn said.

Dean of the Faculty of Humanities and Education at UWI, Silvia Kouwenberg, said the P2CP programme is in keeping with the institution’s mission to empower and provide post-secondary access to underserved populations.

She said UWI welcomes the opportunity “to be of service and to play what we hope to be a transformative role in the lives of some of those present here”.

“To show the society what can be achieved when an underserved population such as prisoners are treated as persons with ambition, who have the desire to learn – that is a form of activism,” she pointed out.

Noting that the trainees were integrally involved in the selection of the courses, Ms. Kouwenberg said there were discussions with the beneficiaries about the type of information and skills they wanted to build for themselves when they return to society.

“I think what we will see throughout the years is the success of listening to the people we are serving about what they feel is best for their life,” she noted.

Project Lead for the UMPP, Shanell Bailey, who spoke to JIS News, said the partnership with the DSC was “very easy”, and “allowed us to put the programme together and work with the students in the way that we think is best, while keeping in mind that rehabilitation and reintegration are at the forefront of all of these efforts”.

The inmates, for their part, welcomed the opportunity to benefit from tertiary training.

“As we prepare to re-enter society it is imperative that we recognise the importance of tertiary education. The skills and knowledge we have gained will serve us well as we seek to rebuild our lives and make a positive contribution to the Jamaican society,” one of the beneficiaries said.

The UWI project to provide tertiary training to the inmate population is inspired by the Prison-to-College Pipeline (P2CP) programme at John Jay College of Criminal Justice in New York, United States (US).

It focuses on providing post-secondary education to incarcerated people and tackling the stigma of incarceration that creates barriers to successful reintegration.

It is the first university-prison partnership in the region to offer on-site, face-to-face education and skills training to inmates and correctional officers, and stands as a pivotal initiative within the P2CP framework.

The primary objective is to enhance access to higher education and bolster the reintegration prospects for incarcerated individuals.

In the past, the DCS has undertaken various educational initiatives, which saw inmates earning certification at both the secondary and tertiary levels.

In 2020, the Ministry of National Security, through DCS, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with ‘Stand Up Jamaica’ and the University of the Commonwealth Caribbean (UCC), which saw inmates benefiting from scholarships to pursue associate degrees in business administration.