California Model, Inside CDCR Video, Rehabilitation

Incarcerated students graduate from first‑ever UC partnership

July 1, 2024

The first incarcerated students recently graduated from the UC Irvine LIFTED program.

As California continues to invest in building safer communities, 23 incarcerated students graduated with bachelor’s degrees from a first-of-its-kind partnership with the University of California (UC).

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Prioritizing rehabilitation and education programs to strengthen public safety, CDCR announced the first-ever graduation of incarcerated students with bachelor’s degrees through the University of California.

The inaugural class, through UC Irvine, includes 23 graduates from the Richard J. Donovan Correctional Facility in San Diego who received in-person instruction led by UC Irvine professors.

“California is transforming its criminal justice system to focus on true rehabilitation, justice, and safer communities statewide — known as the California Model,” said CDCR Secretary Jeff Macomber. “This collaboration with the University of California allows these graduates to build a foundation focused on pursuing educational opportunities that will prepare them for a successful future, while making our communities safer.”

The state continues to move toward a positive shift in correctional policy, through implementation of the California Model. This model focuses on proper support for staff and survivors, while also fostering rehabilitative environments. These include educational opportunities for the incarcerated population, leading to safer communities overall.

Studies show that incarcerated individuals who participate in correctional education are 48% less likely to return to prison within three years than those who did not have access to these opportunities.

This collaboration between CDCR and the University of California is made possible by a formal agreement through a program known as Leveraging Inspiring Futures Through Educational Degrees (LIFTED). LIFTED enables incarcerated students to apply to transfer into UCI as juniors and earn a bachelor’s degree in sociology from the university while serving their sentence.

“CDCR is proud to partner with the UC to greatly expand degree-earning opportunities for incarcerated students,” said Macomber. “Collaborative efforts between CDCR and California’s public higher education system are truly transforming lives. These efforts are vital, as education serves as a powerful rehabilitative tool.”

The program’s first cohort began taking faculty-led courses in fall 2022. That same year, Governor Gavin Newsom and the State Legislature allocated $1.8 million over five years for the program’s support and expansion.

“Graduation is always a special day, not only for the graduates and their families, but for our entire university community,” said UC Irvine Chancellor Howard Gillman. “It is no exaggeration that today’s graduation is extraordinarily special!”

“This is a historic occasion to celebrate both the first 23 incarcerated students earning bachelor’s degrees from a top 10 public university and a successful partnership between two major state institutions, who are working together to bring a world class public education into state prison,” said LIFTED Director and UCI Professor Keramet Reiter.

Shannon Swain, Superintendent of CDCR’s Office of Correctional Education, said programs such as are special.

“We have many bachelor-degree programs with California universities, but this is our first graduation with the University of California,” Swain said. “And UCI is one of the premier research universities in the world. Education is transformative and higher education reduces recidivism. It is a win-win for the taxpayers, for (public) safety, and certainly for the students and their families.”

Victor Lopez, one of the graduates, has seen the benefits of education.

“You can’t stop believing,” Lopez said. “You are living in the dark if you don’t educate yourself.”

Kelly McLeod, another graduate, believes getting an education is beneficial in many ways.

“It is life-changing,” McLeod said. “This experience has truly changed my life. I felt so capable and confident.”

CDCR partners with California’s public higher education system to offer associate, bachelor’s and master’s degrees through the California community colleges, the California State University, and the University of California. More than 13.5% of the entire incarcerated population are enrolled in college courses.

Learn more about the California Model on the CDCR website.