Connecticut could save $3.5M yearly if inmates got Pell Grants
Arthur Rizer, a former prosecutor and police officer who works for R Street Institute, a center-right think tank, said he isn’t surprised First Step garnered bipartisan support and believes a reversal of the ban on Pell Grants for prisoners would, too.
Higher education in prison makes correctional officers safer, he said. It improves the labor pool for businesses by giving the formerly incarcerated the skills they need. And it promotes family, not only because parents who leave prison are more likely to stay home, but also because research shows their children are more likely to pursue higher education themselves.
“As a proud conservative, I hate paying taxes, especially when they’re wasted,” Rizer said. “We can disagree on military spending … but when we know educating is 10 times cheaper than housing, it’s an undisputed waste of tax (money,)” to choose the latter.
