I'm curious about prisoners being able to get college degrees.?

Was watching Good Morning America this morning and they did a story on Pamela Smart, the woman who was convicted of coercing her then-16-year-old boyfriend into killing her husband back in 1991 and was given life w/o probation. In the story, it mentioned that she had gotten 2 masters degrees. That got me to thinking about how unfair it is that people who do horrible things and end-up in prison get to complete college degrees on the taxpayers' money while law-abiding citizens have to sometimes go into debt for years to pay for their college education. My question is if and when they are ever released, do they have to repay the cost of their education back? (Although I have no idea who or what they would pay it back to?) This really strikes me as being totally and completely not right -- of course, a lot about our society is not right, so I suppose I shouldn't be surprised. Does anyone know how this works? I am just curious about it.

Sorry - instead of "Probation", I meant "Parole".

I've wondered about things like that myself. I know in my state, there had been a stink a few years back that some of the convicts were b itching because they couldn't get the cable channels they wanted in prison or some such nonsense. What, they think they kill someone and they're entitled to live like kings? As for the education they get, I had a friend once who said he'd like to commit some crime, get tossed in jail, have his Masters paid for, and then write a book about it.

Perhaps this can be considered rehabilitation? I am more concerned about prisoners who spend their time "bulkiing up" so that they leave jail bigger, stronger, and more dangerous than ever before.
If this works out, perhaps Pamela Smart will be able to contribute to society more than the cost of a couple of Master's degrees.

I ponder that same issue, I'm 25 and I'd love to go to college, but I don't have the means to, and I can't get grants, whatever.... I wish I could get free college and housing and food... it's not fair

> That got me to thinking about how unfair it is that people who do horrible things and end-up in prison get to complete college degrees on the taxpayers' money while law-abiding citizens have to sometimes go into debt for years to pay for their college education

I am sure she paid for it the same way you or I would. Either with money she had, scholarships she earned, or by borrowing the money.

> do they have to repay the cost of their education back? (Although I have no idea who or what they would pay it back to?

You never really applied for college or had kids that did, did you?