December 22, 2020

WASHINGTON, DC – Today, the Day 1 Alliance, the trade association representing private sector contractors working in corrections, applauded Congressional leaders for including legislation in the year-end spending bill that restores eligibility to Pell Grants for students learning in prison. Since the 1994 Crime Bill, incarcerated men and women have been barred from applying for Pell Grants. The members of the Day 1 Alliance are CoreCivic, The GEO Group (GEO), Management & Training Corporation (MTC), and LaSalle Corrections.

“The private sector has been a national leader in delivering highly innovative and successful educational programs to incarcerated men and women, and removing this major obstacle to further education is a life-changing opportunity for those in our care,” said Alexandra Wilkes, National Spokesperson for the Day 1 Alliance. “While the private sector has no role in determining who goes to prison, we do have a vital mission in ensuring that those who pass through our doors get the educational and re-entry programs necessary to return to their communities in a positive manner and go on to lead productive lives. We applaud Congress for taking this significant step toward this objective.”

Further, while contractor-operated federal prisons house predominately criminal aliens, D1A members have played a significant role advocating for policies that will place individuals on a path to become productive members of society upon release. For example, CoreCivic was a major supporter of Ban the Box legislation, which allows former inmates to apply for jobs without disclosing their record of incarceration, expanding their employment opportunities. In fact, as of 2016, CoreCivic’s own application for employment no longer contained a “check the box” for applicants to disclose prior criminal history. Additionally, D1A members supported the bipartisan First Step Act, a landmark prison reform and recidivism reduction bill, which was passed by Congress and signed into law in December 2018.

About the Day 1 Alliance:

The Day 1 Alliance (D1A) is a trade association representing private sector contractors helping government agencies address corrections and detention challenges in the United States. For more than 35 years, D1A members have worked with local, state, and federal governments led by members of both political parties to provide professional, humane, and respectful treatment to incarcerated and detained individuals. From day one, we understand we have a responsibility to provide safe and dignified care to those in our facilities. D1A members do not lobby for or against policies, regulations, or legislation that impact the basis for or duration of an individual’s incarceration or detention.

The members of the Day 1 Alliance are CoreCivic, The GEO Group, Management & Training Corporation, and LaSalle Corrections.

Learn more at day1alliance.org and follow us on Twitter @TheDay1Alliance.

Media inquiries:
contact@day1alliance.org

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