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The Prison Education Program at the University of Oregon

The Prison Education Program was established in 2016, founded in response to an expansion from the Inside-Out classes that began at the UO in 2007. We are now active in offering classes, not-for-credit opportunities, and in working to advance educational opportunities for people who are incarcerated statewide. 

In addition to offering for-credit classes inside the prisons, we also have a variety of not-for-credit activities, including:

• Book discussions, including bilingual discussions conducted in Spanish and English

• Academic workshops, including academic writing and communication skills

• A UO student internship and “alumni” program – students are involved in assisting with classes, running a discussion group at a juvenile facility, holding outreach events with at-risk youth, and running book drives to support prison education.

• Educational TV programming sent to all Oregon institutions through PEP TV

• Learning, Engagement, and Activities Packets (LEAP) and correspondence for people in special housing units  

• Lectures by UO faculty on a wide variety of subjects

• Coordinated engagement between clubs at OSP and corresponding clubs at the UO

• On-campus an inside exhibitions of artwork by insiders donated to the program 

• Book donations to multiple prisons, including special requests from staff at the prisons for particular subject areas and Spanish language materials

We work in an interdisciplinary academic framework, and with a broad range of students, campus organizations, community groups, and national organizations working to improve educational opportunities in prisons.