Contacts:Jill Stockwell, Tara Ronda: pti@princeton.edu; 609-258-1675;tronda@princeton.edu
609-258-1675
Program Description:The Prison Teaching Initiative (PTI) is an all-volunteer organization at Princeton University. PTI was founded in 2005 under the leadership of astrophysicist Dr. Gillian Knapp, and today has provided college-level classes to over 2,000 students and seen dozens graduate with a college degree and many more transfer their credits to other two- or four-year colleges. PTI comprises approximately 100 active volunteers, including graduate students, postdoctoral fellows, faculty, and staff, who utilize an innovative team teaching model to offer 18 to 25 courses per semester, reaching ~250 student-inmates per year. Princeton undergraduates benefit by tutoring inmates as well as participating as part of ‘inside-out’ classes, which allow joint learning between our campus and incarcerated students. PTI has also proven to attract graduate students and professors who view teaching with PTI as a major advantage of being associated with the University.
Degrees Offered:Associate’s of Arts – Liberal Studies, Bachelor of Arts – Criminal Justice,Associate’s of Science
Unique Features: Strong STEM program, all-volunteer instruction.
Headquarters: Princeton, NJ
Correctional Facilities Served:Garden State YCF, Albert Wagner YCF, East Jerset State Prison, Edna Mahan Correctional Facility for Women, South Woods State Prison, Northern State Prison, Mountainview Youth Correctional Facility, Ft Dix Federal Correctional Institution
Population Served: Men and women, various security levels (minimum to maximum), youth, state, federal
Number of Students:450
Graduates to Date:
Year Founded: 2005
Founders: Mark Krumholz, Jenny Greene, Jill Knapp
College/University/Organization Partnerships:NJ-STEP (Scholarship and Transformative Education in Prisons) is a consortium of nine colleges and universities across the state, the NJ Department of Corrections, and the NJ State Parole Board. In addition to providing post-secondary education, NJ-STEP members and staff help students plan for their release from prison and support their continued education. The consortium is housed at Rutgers University – Newark.