Publications
Research Report
August 20, 2025
Why Data and Why Now?
The Importance and Challenges of Data for Higher Education in Prison
Alex Monday, Bethany Lewis, Sindy Lopez, Tommaso Bardelli, Elizabeth Davidson Pisacreta, Jessica Pokharel, Ess Pokornowski
Nearly 400 higher education in prison programs now operate across the US, yet basic data about these students at scale—such as enrollment, retention, and completion—is often inaccessible or inconsistent. As these programs expand, strengthening data infrastructure has become both a practical necessity and a moral imperative.