Graduation at prison filled with pride, hope

DRAPER — Decked out in blue and black caps and gowns, the graduates beamed with pride as they strolled up the walkway to the strains of Pomp and Circumstance played on an electric piano. Family members pointed and waved. The speeches were a little long. The choir music a little predictable. And the sun beat down just strong enough that the paper programs needed to be employed as fans.

Except for the fences topped with curling razor wire and the gun-toting prison guards, graduation day at the Utah State Prison is like that at any other institution — one filled with hope, promise and pats on the back.

The largest class ever — 282 students — graduated from prison-based education programs Friday, earning high school diplomas, high school equivalency certificates, associate degrees from Salt Lake Community College and bachelor's degrees from Utah State University. Two years ago, the graduating class numbered just 80.

Education has been a priority for the Department of Corrections, executive director Mike Chabries has said. Statistics in Utah and across the country show that the offender who leaves prison with job skills and education is less likely to commit new crimes.

And as Chabries said Friday: "It's our job to help you succeed . . . and (because of a shrinking state budget) it's more critical than ever that we make sure we never see you again."

The accomplishments of these inmate-graduates are not easily earned. Most who enter the prison have profound learning deficiencies — about 80 percent test at only an 8th-grade reading proficiency.

"Even those that come with diplomas are reasonably functionally illiterate," said Jeff Galli, corrections education specialist for the Utah State Office of Education.

Utah is the only state where its Board of Regents is a full partner with the Department of Corrections in making education possible for inmates. State legislators fund prison education programs with close to $3 million, and the schools offered reduced tuition to inmates. In some cases, federal grant funds are available for tuition and books, Galli added.

Programs are offered at prison facilities in Draper, Gunnison and Cedar City and at several county jails across the state. The participating schools include the Jordan, South Sanpete and Iron County school districts, Salt Lake Community College, Snow College, Central Applied Technology College, Southwest Applied Technology College and Utah State University.