Digital Education Creates Hope and Opens Doors to Second Chance Opportunities for Thousands of Incarcerated Students

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Apr 24, 2023, 11:30 ET

Securus Lantern, part of the Securus Education Suite, helps give access to post-secondary education in prisons so incarcerated students can advance their education, earn college degrees and build towards a successful second chance

DALLAS, April 24, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Securus Technologies, an Aventiv company driving efforts to better serve the incarcerated through rehabilitative justice, is celebrating milestones for the company's transformative education platform, Securus Lantern. The company is proud to recognize the hundreds of thousands of incarcerated students who have enrolled in schooling and the more than 1,000 who have earned their college degrees using Securus Lantern and the rest of the Securus Education Suite on Securus tablets. As the largest learning management system (LMS) and digital education program for the incarcerated in the United States, Securus Lantern plays a pivotal role in helping the incarcerated attain accreditations and degrees in desired subject areas and concentrations to build a strong foundation for successful second chances.

Aventiv continues to prioritize education, investing in the Securus Education Suite to deliver digital education on a massive scale. The Securus Education Suite includes a robust learning management system, an office suite, and educational content which serves face to face, hybrid, and fully online instruction.

While Securus Lantern continues to grow, the most notable accomplishments are those earned by the diligent students who concentrate on their studies despite distractions that are unimaginable in prison environments.

Aleicia N. is an incarcerated student at Chillicothe Correctional Center in Missouri who is enrolled at Ashland University. Her unique journey is just one of many empowered by Securus' Lantern program:

"Since the age of eight I wanted to go to college, and at the age of 21 I actually enrolled in nursing school. I had to work 60 hours a week to make ends meet. And although I've never been in trouble with the law before, unfortunately, depression, abuse and alcohol impacted my mindset and I made decisions that led me to prison," said Aleicia N. "When I got here, I felt worthless, my life was over. I could only imagine all the doors that would slam in my face because I'm labeled a dangerous felon for mistakes I made 20 years ago. Today, I'm a college student working on my major in Interdisciplinary Studies and minor in Sociology and Business Administration. I have hope and believe I'm creating my own opportunities by taking advantage of Ashland University's Correctional Education program that was made possible through the Securus tablets. I'm a role model for my daughters, two of which are also in college so we share study tips."

Missouri DOC is a Securus Lantern partner and one of the foremost experts in providing education in correctional facilities. Approximately 700 incarcerated students of Missouri state prisons are enrolled in higher education courses each semester.

"The Missouri Department of Corrections priorities rehabilitation through treatment programs, reentry resources and education, equipping incarcerated people with valuable skills that prepare them to support themselves and their families when rejoining Missouri cities and towns," said Anne L. Precythe, Director of Missouri Department of Corrections. "We could not be prouder of our incarcerated students and their academic accomplishments. We're thankful for our partnership with Securus and the universities that make access to higher education possible. Working together we can make a real difference."

Since its inception in 2015, Securus Lantern has helped colleges and universities deliver post-secondary education to seven state DOCs through partnerships with Ashland University, Maysville Community and Technical College, Missouri State University, Central Methodist University, St. Louis University, Washington University, Ozarks State Technical College, Rockhurst University, and Simmons College of Kentucky. More than 200 unique college courses are offered to incarcerated students, including English Composition, Business, Communications, and Math. The platform has provided over 150,000 incarcerated individuals with access to digital education through a network of accredited academic institutions and most recently, nearly 8,000 incarcerated students were enrolled this past Fall semester. To date, more than 1,000 incarcerated students have earned their college degrees through Securus Lantern.

In addition to post-secondary education, state DOC facilities in New York, Oklahoma, Kentucky, and Florida offer access to GED prep courses through Securus Lantern. The Securus Lantern program also works with nonprofit organizations to offer personal development courses including employment skills, treatment for substance use disorders, and leadership training, while several religious groups offer digital studies of holy books and spiritual support to incarcerated individuals.

"Education has the power to unlock potential and give incarcerated individuals the confidence and knowledge that can be used to secure employment and create a successful second chance when folks get out and rejoin our communities," said Dave Abel, President and CEO of Aventiv Technologies, the parent company of Securus. "Securus Lantern has been a resounding success, empowering over 150,000 incarcerated students to work towards a brighter future. As this program continues to grow, we look forward to building more partnerships with academic institutions, community organizations, and corrections departments to expand educational opportunities so we can celebrate the accomplishment of even more hard-working incarcerated students."

In 2020, Securus embarked on an aggressive multi-year transformation to hold the organization accountable and push the corrections industry to better serve consumers and communities. Education has been and will continue to be a major commitment, and in the foreground for creating successful second chances.

About Securus Technologies
Headquartered in Carrollton, Texas, Securus Technologies, a subsidiary of Aventiv Technologies, serves more than 3,450 public safety, law enforcement and corrections agencies and over 1,100,000 incarcerated individuals across North America. The Aventiv organization is committed to providing emergency response, incident management, public information, investigation, biometric analysis, communication, information management, incarcerated self-service, and monitoring products and services in order to make our world a safer place to live. For more information, please visit www.Aventiv.com. Aventiv is a portfolio company of Platinum Equity. Founded in 1995 by Tom Gores, Platinum Equity is a global investment firm with a portfolio of approximately 40 operating companies that serve customers around the world.

SOURCE Securus Technologies