Gift Will Expand Technology Training, Innovation and Research in the Justice System
OAKLAND, Calif., May 10, 2023 (Newswire.com)
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The Last Mile (TLM), an organization that prepares incarcerated individuals for successful reentry through education and technology training, announced today that Citadel founder and CEO Ken Griffin and Stand Together Foundation have provided $10 million to fund expansion efforts, educational programming, and research that aims to improve the justice system. Both Ken Griffin and Stand Together Foundation seek to break down barriers to upward mobility by investing in innovative non-profit organizations that provide communities with data-driven, scalable solutions.
“The Last Mile provides the skills and training that those serving time need to reintegrate into society,” said Griffin. “In partnering with Stand Together Foundation to support The Last Mile, it is my hope that these individuals are able to earn an honest living, contribute to their communities, and never again return to crime.”
This support will enable TLM to expand to reach a larger population of incarcerated people across the United States. As a result of this new funding, more than 800 new classroom seats will be created to provide incarcerated individuals and their families with technology training and support during and after incarceration.
“In addition to revolutionizing what’s possible for in-prison education programs, TLM is excited to generate rigorous evidence about the impact of in-prison training and reentry services,” said TLM Chief Programs Officer Sydney Heller. “With systemic problems across the justice system in the United States, it’s imperative that scalable solutions with proven efficacy are supported and expanded throughout the country, and we’re grateful to Ken Griffin and Stand Together Foundation for their critical support of our mission.”
Funding will also support the design and implementation of a randomized controlled trial to understand the causal impact of TLM programming on critical outcomes within and beyond the justice system post-release. The Crime and Justice Policy Lab at the University of Pennsylvania will carry out the study under the direction of leading criminal justice researcher and Primary Investigator (PI) Anthony Braga, Jerry Lee Professor of Criminology at the University of Pennsylvania, alongside co-PIs Aaron Chalfin, Ben Struhl, and Sarah Tahamont. This study aims to generate rigorous evidence on the efficacy of TLM programming and inform future efforts within both the organization itself and the broader justice system.
“We’re thrilled to partner with Ken Griffin on this important project. The Last Mile is empowering incarcerated individuals to find valuable ways to contribute when they rejoin society. It’s truly a win/win solution: The students benefit through greater opportunity for themselves and their families and society benefits through their contributions along with dramatically reduced recidivism and safer communities,” said Brian Hooks, chairman of the Stand Together Foundation. “They’re demonstrating that improvements to the criminal justice system and improvements to public safety go hand in hand.”
Source: The Last Mile
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