Первый выпускник программы образования в тюрьмах Нью-Джерси поступил в Рутгерс и учится в статусе заключенного

First Incarcerated NJ-STEP Student Admitted to Rutgers Law, Sets Historic Precedent Patrick Pantusco is the first student from the New Jersey Scholarship and Transformative Education in Prisons (NJ-STEP) program admitted to Rutgers Law School. While Pantusco was enrolled in Rutgers Law’s… Rutgers Law student Patrick Pantusco. Image Courtesy Rutgers Law Patrick Pantusco is the first student from the New Jersey Scholarship and Transformative Education in Prisons (NJ-STEP) program admitted to Rutgers Law School. While Pantusco was enrolled in Rutgers Law's Master of Studies in Professionalism (MSP), he was legally incarcerated under constructive custody. He was still allowed to attend classes in person. According to a Law.com feature on Pantusco, there is no widely documented precedent for someone of his legal status attending law school in person. Since the article was published, Pantusco has been released, according to Rutgers Law School. The NJ-STEP program is a Rutgers University-Newark-led association. It gives incarcerated individuals access to college education and degree pathways. Through partnerships with the New Jersey Department of Corrections and higher education institutions statewide, NJ-STEP creates a continuum of learning from prison to campus. Pantusco earned a Master of Arts in Criminal Justice from the Rutgers School of Criminal Justice with a perfect 4.0 GPA before his admission to law school. He now attends classes at the Center for Law and Justice in Newark, the same building where he finished his graduate degree. "I am honored to be the first person to attend a law school in-person while they were still incarcerated, and the people here at Rutgers, my fellow students, professors have welcomed me with open arms," Pantusco said at the conclusion of MSP Newark Orientation week. "They're generous. They're helping me. They're very empathetic to my situation and understanding that a single mistake or early mistakes in life don't necessarily define the person." His academic path began with an honors graduation from Mercer County Community College. After entering the Kintock Residential Community Reintegration Program, he graduated summa cum laude from Rutgers University-Newark. Chris Agans, NJ-STEP executive director, praised the achievement. "His achievement reflects not only his own dedication, but also the transformative potential of educational opportunity," Agans said. "I'm excited for what lies ahead, not only for Patrick, but for the many NJ-STEP students who will see new possibilities in his example." In his 2022 Journal of Contemporary Criminal Justice essay Violence and Prison, Pantusco described the traumatic events and addiction that led to his incarceration. He credits access to higher education with changing his life. "When Rutgers brought college into the prison system, I would fantasize, 'Oh, maybe one day I could go to law school. One day, I could become a lawyer,'" he said. "I didn't know if I really believed in it." Rutgers Law Dean Johanna Bond said Pantusco's story embodies the school's strategic vision. "Through our commitment to strengthening educational pipelines, we are expanding access to legal education for talented students whose potential may otherwise go unrealized," Bond said.