College Behind Bars
Watch the Emmy-nominated PBS documentary
Since the film aired in 2019…
Explore how BPI has changed and hear from alumni featured in the film
as of Nov 2023
“Education itself is what liberated me…it helped me understand my place in the world and activated me as a civically minded person.”
The BPI student body has expanded:
“Experiences like this made me want to fight harder, to study harder…so that I can make a dent–as just one person–in this thing we call the criminal justice system.”
The BPI alumni community is growing:
“Now that I’ve been home for a few years, I appreciate even more what it means to be a Bard alum.”
The number of degrees conferred is rising:
BPI Debate Union in the News:
Acclaim for the film:
“What you see at the end is a testament to the power of education, and why it remains such a dangerous and underrated weapon against a racially and economically unjust status quo in this nation.”
“The powerful new miniseries suggests we might find hope in the transformative effect of higher education.”
100% TOMATOMETER
RottenTomatoes.com
“A nuanced look at education in the prison industrial complex.”
“Absorbing and inspiring. Provides a stark yet hopeful demonstration of the freedom that comes with opening your mind to a higher education.”
Support BPI
Becoming a BPI supporter means joining a community that believes in the power of education, and is committed to investing in people, reinventing institutions, and making education more accessible.
For more information about ways to support the Bard Prison Initiative, please visit our Support page or contact bpidevelopment@bard.edu.