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Even though the cost of educating prisoners is less than housing prisoners and reduces recidivism, the federal government cut the Pell grant which helped to fund educational programs in prison. Recidivism is the goal for corporations that continue to fund prison labor. However, volunteers continue to create programs that work, but which need funding to continue. Eddie Conway talks to former prisoners and volunteers about programs that work. For example, Liberation Literacy in Oregon, which involves family members of prisoners in their program, and Friend of a Friend, which helps prisoners to resolve conflicts effectively and build community.

Studio: Cameron Granadino
Production: Ericka Blount Danois

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Executive Producer
Eddie Conway is an Executive Producer of The Real News Network. He is the host of the TRNN show Rattling the Bars. He is Chairman of the Board of Ida B's Restaurant, and the author of two books: Marshall Law: The Life & Times of a Baltimore Black Panther and The Greatest Threat: The Black Panther Party and COINTELPRO. A former member of the Black Panther Party, Eddie Conway is an internationally known political prisoner for over 43 years, a long time prisoners' rights organizer in Maryland, the co-founder of the Friend of a Friend mentoring program, and the President of Tubman House Inc. of Baltimore. He is a national and international speaker and has several degrees.