OK, nice story. But could this enormous amount of money be better spent on non-felons?-----Prisoners receive college degrees at graduation ceremony inside a Michigan prison - mlive.com

Prisoners receive college degrees at graduation ceremony inside a Michigan prison - mlive.com
IONIA, MI – "...The Calvin Prison Initiative is a five-year program that gives a Christian liberal arts education to prisoners. 

Twenty new candidates are accepted into the program each year since the freshmen class met for the first time Sept. 8, 2015.
If successfully completed, the prisoner will earn a bachelor’s degree in faith and community leadership from Calvin University. 

After three successful years in the program, each prisoner will also earn an associate degree.
...In order to be selected for the program, candidates must have seven years remaining on their sentence until their first eligibility for parole. 

Offenders serving life sentences are also eligible to apply..."