Ethical, community-engaged research and evaluation practices are crucial components of higher education in prison. The Cornell Prison Education Program is nourished by the community of scholars who study the criminal justice system and related issues at Cornell. We have also convened programs and researchers who study higher education in prison directly. In 2026, CPEP convened a national symposium on higher education in prison research, in conjunction with the National Conference on Higher Education in Prison in Cleveland, Ohio. This organizational work will continue in the years ahead.
Our research efforts are led by by Tess Pendergrast, Research Associate in the Ashley School of Global Development and the Environment. Dr. Pendergrast is engaged in several collaborations with with Sadé Lindsay, Assistant Professor in Sociology and the Brooks School of Public Policy. Together, they are several initiatives looking at college-in-prison programs and reentry outcomes, the potential for community-based participatory evaluation, and the ethics of research in the national landscape of higher education in prison.
CPEP is also known for the creation and promotion of the Education Justice Tracker, a digital tool that can assist HEP programs with data collection and analysis. The EJT can be used to improve outcomes for students and alumni, offset disruptions by prison transfers, help staff with Pell-related reporting, and assist in reentry initiatives.
