WASHINGTON, D.C. – March 14, 2017. The Institute for Higher Education Policy (IHEP) today launched #CollegeNotPrison(link is external), a social media and public awareness campaign to educate policymakers, campus leaders, and the public about the financial aid barriers justice-involved youth face when pursuing higher education. 

The #CollegeNotPrison(link is external) social media campaign showcases a short, two-minute video featuring Alton Pitre, 25, a senior at Morehouse College majoring in sociology and U.S. Sen. Cory Booker (NJ)(link is external), a staunch advocate for justice reform and college affordability. 

To remove barriers that place access, affordability and success beyond reach for justice-involved youth, IHEP recommends that policymakers: 

• Lift the ban on the use of federal Pell grants by individuals who are incarcerated in federal and state penal institutions.
• Lift the ban on federal student loans for individuals who are incarcerated (adult or juvenile settings).
• Remove the federal financial aid ban on individuals who are convicted of drug crimes while receiving federal financial aid.
• Support a federal demonstration grant program to support postsecondary success for justice-involved youth.

To learn more about #CollegeNotPrison, please visit www.collegenotprison.com(link is external).