The annual cost to incarcerate a man is upward of $60,000. For a woman, it’s closer to $100,000. To educate either one costs about $2,000 per year.
These are numbers James Monteiro uses to explain the impetus behind starting ReEntry Campus Program, a Providence-based nonprofit.
“Education reduces recidivism and thus the overall cost to the state,” he said.
The nonprofit started last July and helps connect current and formerly incarcerated individuals to higher education opportunities. The program has been accepted into the Social Enterprise Greenhouse 2018 accelerator program, and has partnered with Roger Williams University.
Monteiro’s efforts are based on experience. He earned his associate degree while incarcerated, and counts himself fortunate to further his education and earn a bachelor’s degree after his release.
Many people don’t get the opportunity, he explained, making it difficult to build a sustainable livelihood after prison. The lack of a good income leads many back behind bars, he added.
“You need education in Rhode Island to compete,” Monteiro said.