NY to spend $7.3M on college-in-prison program

ALBANY – New York will spend $7.3 million from bank settlements to expand college education programs in prisons, including the Fishkill and Wallkill correctional facilities.

Seven colleges will begin, continue or expand offerings for prisoners at 17 correctional facilities across New York over the next five years as part of the College-in-Prison Reentry Program, a joint program between Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s administration and Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance.

Cuomo and Vance unveiled the colleges and prisons Monday.

In Dutchess County, Bard College’s prison program will continue in six correctional facilities, including Fishkill and Taconic at Bedford Hills, Westchester County, while New York University will provide courses at Walkill in Ulster County. Mercy College, based in Dobbs Ferry, will continue its presence at Sing Sing Correctional Facility in Westchester.

In all, there will be 400 to 500 new seats each year for college-education programs in state prisons, according to Cuomo’s office.