Pennsylvania Receives $1M Grant To Improve Education For Prison Inmates

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Pennsylvania has received a U.S. Department of Education grant for more than $1-million to improve education for prison inmates.

Pennsylvania Department of Corrections Secretary John Wetzel says the grant will target adult offenders between 18 and 25 years old. He says many of these inmates need direction.

"If you think of an inmate coming to our front door, similar to an individual who just got out of high school," Wetzel says, "and isn't sure what they want to with their life and goes to a community college, that's what our vision is for this grant."

Wetzel says the goal is to give inmates at least a high school education, and skills to succeed so they don't come back to prison.

"We really view Corrections as having an opportunity to really put people on a path to change their lives," he says, "and education is a very important piece of this."

The grant covers three years and will allow the Department of Corrections to partner with communities and employers to find jobs for inmates who are released as well.