LOGAN?Utah Prison and Jail inmates are given the chance to rehabilitate themselves and better their education through Utah State University?s Extension and Continuing Education department.

Vince Lafferty, director of Distance Education, first started a distance learning program for inmates in 1985 when the Utah prison and jail systems approached him with the idea. Now an estimated 150 full-time and part-time inmates are continuing their education every semester.

?I felt there was a big need. We could have a tremendous impact not only on the inmates, but society as a whole,? Lafferty said.

USU offers only specific degrees through this program such as a bachelor?s in business administration, a minor in business information systems or accounting and a bachelor?s in psychology for inmates who plan on attending graduate school.

Lafferty said these degrees offer inmates more marketable skills in today?s economy than other degrees offered on campus might.

Some community schools in Utah also offer this program to prison and jail systems. Salt Lake Community College offers vocational training, and Snow College offers general education classes. USU is the only school which offers this program through satellite. This makes more classes and degrees available to inmates, Lafferty said.

The inmates come from specific facilities including Central Utah Correctional Facility in Gunnison, the main prison in Draper and jails in Cedar City and Monticello.

U Wire