Incarceration Impact Scholarship

The United States has the highest incarceration rate in the entire world. Despite representing 5% of the global population, the country has 25% of the world’s prisoners.

In the 1970s, there were 340,000 million Americans incarcerated. Today, there are over 2 million. Unfortunately, this increase in the prison population was not distributed evenly. African Americans are incarcerated in state prisons at 5x the rate of white people, making up 40% of the prison population, despite representing only 13% of the wider population. Similarly, Hispanic people are twice as likely as white people to be incarcerated, per capita.

The effects of incarceration extend beyond the jail cell. Among many hidden consequences is the impact of incarceration on dependent children, including their emotional, physical, educational, and financial well-being. For example, children with incarcerated parents are 6x more likely to get incarcerated.

This cycle does not need to continue. The Incarceration Impact Scholarship exists to support those disproportionately affected by incarceration in the US and is open to Black or Latinx students from low-income households with an incarcerated parent or legal guardian. 

To apply, tell us about how incarceration has impacted your life and your aspirations for the future.