College Behind Bars
Students who have graduated from the Partakers College Behind Bars Program show a 2% recidivism rate.
Past studies show a 6 year national average of 79%*
*Bureau of Justice Statistics
What Is College Behind Bars?
For over 25 years, Partakers has worked to help reduce recidivism by promoting education and providing community mentoring for incarcerated women and men pursuing their degrees and educational opportunities. Through our College Behind Bars Mentoring Program, the powerful mentoring relationships that Partakers builds profoundly impact our students' lives, their mentors, their families, and their communities.
College Behind Bars (CBB) is at the heart of all of Partakers’ work. Since 1997 CBB has been working to provide incarcerated women and men participating in college study programs with a team of supportive and engaged mentors. We currently have over 400 volunteer mentors from over 40 community organizations throughout Massachusetts. These dedicated mentors share not only their time but their hearts as they connect to and mentor our students and help them to believe in themselves, their ability to change the trajectory of their lives, and truly have hope for a positive and productive future. The powerful relationships and bonds that develop between CBB Mentors and students impact not only those inside but equally our mentors. These relationships bridge communities, develop understanding and awareness while creating powerful, lasting transformative relationships.
What is involved in Becoming a College Behind Bars Mentor?
As a Mentor in our College Behind Bars program you will be a part of a team of mentors who will visit, guide, encourage and correspond with a student inside prison. The schedule for visiting inside is flexible and your role will be one of friendship and support.
It is because of people in the Partakers program and everybody who said you can do this!
~Partakers Graduate
The Impact Of College Behind Bars
Partakers’ College Behind Bars Mentoring Program serves as a model for the importance education and vital mentoring relationships can have to reduce recidivism and bring hope and a very real future to so many.