Ten Jamaicans serving sentences for serious crimes, including murder, have earned university degrees while in prison. The graduates, all Black men and women, say the achievement has restored their dignity and renewed their hope for the future.

At the ceremony, a summa cum laude graduate spoke on behalf of the group, calling the milestone “a celebration of hope” and “a resurrection of purpose.” He credited vision, support, and courage for making change possible and thanked rights group Stand Up for Jamaica for standing by them, according to the Jamaica Observer.

Five of the graduates received associate degrees in business administration, while the other five earned bachelor’s degrees in the same field. The program began in 2018 as a partnership between Stand Up for Jamaica, the University of the Commonwealth Caribbean (UCC), and the Department of Correctional Services (DCS). It started as a pilot at St Catherine with four inmates and one correctional officer, later expanding to Tower Street and South Camp, the country’s only female prison.

Carla Gullotta, executive director of Stand Up for Jamaica, called the success extraordinary. Out of 690 outside students, several inmates ranked among the top 25. She praised UCC for agreeing to a project many would turn down and described the hurdles of organising classes, securing computers and internet access, and arranging weekend sessions in prison.

Despite these achievements, Gullotta warned that stigma could block the graduates from finding jobs after release. She said rehabilitation cannot be taken seriously unless society also supports reintegration.

She also criticised the parole process, noting that some graduates eligible for parole have been denied. Letters to them claimed they needed “more rehabilitation,” despite their leadership in the programme.

For Gullotta, the real challenge is ensuring the degrees are used. She continues to urge private sector and civil society leaders to give the graduates a second chance.