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About PERI
The Penn Prison Education and Reentry Initiative (Penn PERI) is a university-wide program that aspires to coordinate Penn’s existing engagement with the criminal justice system, expand educational and employment opportunities for incarcerated and formerly incarcerated students, and create evidence-based programs to reduce the costs of mass incarceration in the City of Philadelphia and across the Commonwealth.
Why PERI?
The costs are relational.
As loved ones are locked up, and harm is perpetuated in the community without accountability. Penn Peri recognizes that mass incarceration dramatically impacts Penn’s neighboring communities while also recognizing its harm to faculty, staff, students and alumni.
The costs are financial.
Penn PERI demonstrates how private institutions can effectively partner with the public sector to reduce both the visible and hidden costs of mass incarceration. By creating evidence-based programs that expand educational and employment pathways, along with access to healthcare and legal support, Penn PERI demonstrates how the private sector can support the public sector and reduce the seen and unseen costs of mass incarceration.
Admission & Requirements
Broad overview of what the mission looks like within the programs. Connecting students and community partners. Encouraging education. All students are required to participate in educational workshops. Partners have ownership over roles and influence co-education.
Program Director
John Fantuzzo
Administrative Director, Penn Prison Education and Reentry Initative
johnfant@upenn.edu