A decade of second chances

This year, Southwestern College proudly marks the 10th anniversary of our Restorative Justice Program. It is an effort rooted in a simple idea with profound impact: education can transform lives and strengthen communities.

Since launching in 2016, the program has served nearly 3,500 justice-impacted students across San Diego County, reaching learners inside facilities like Richard J. Donovan Correctional Facility and East Mesa. What began as a modest initiative has grown into a nationally recognized model for expanding access to higher education.

The results tell a powerful story.

Among currently incarcerated students, the program has achieved a 94 percent completion rate. More than 350 associate degrees have been awarded across fields such as sociology, psychology, and business, along with career-focused certificates that prepare students for employment upon release.

But the true measure of success goes beyond the classroom.

Each year, students transition from incarceration to campus life and beyond. Since 2019, an average of at least 25 students annually have transferred from correctional facilities to institutions of higher education like UC Irvine to continue their education. These are not isolated successes. They reflect a growing culture of academic ambition and achievement.

I often think of students like Shawn Khalifa, who began his educational journey with Southwestern College while incarcerated. After his release, he earned his associate degree, then went on to complete both a bachelor’s and a master’s degree. Today, he is Program Coordinator with Underground Scholars at UC San Diego, a program dedicated to helping students who have been impacted by the criminal legal system.

His story is powerful but it is not unique.

Our faculty witness this transformation every day. As psychology instructor Stephanie Hall, who has taught in the program for nearly a decade, puts it: “It is rewarding for an instructor to work with students who are so motivated and engaged. I’ve found that the students truly show up, they dive into discussions, keep up with the reading, and have a real desire to learn. I’m thankful to be part of this transformative program.”

That commitment matters, especially in the context of a larger reality. In California, roughly 90,000 individuals are incarcerated, and about 95 percent will eventually return to their communities. Without access to education, many face significant barriers and the state’s recidivism rate remains near 39 percent.

Education changes that trajectory. Studies show that individuals who participate in higher education while incarcerated are significantly less likely to reoffend, with reductions in recidivism of more than 40 percent.

This is not just an investment in individuals. It is an investment in public safety, economic mobility, and the well-being of our region.

As we look to the program’s second decade, our focus is on deepening and sustaining this impact. We are working to expand degree and certificate pathways within correctional facilities, including new programs such as Alcohol and Other Drug Studies, to better align education with workforce needs. We are strengthening reentry support for students transitioning back to our campuses, helping address barriers like housing, transportation, and employment.

And critically, we are working to secure long-term institutional funding to ensure this program can continue to grow. For too long, efforts like this have relied heavily on short-term grants. The success of this program makes clear that it deserves to be a permanent part of our educational mission.

Because after ten years, one thing is certain: these efforts in supporting justice impacted students’ work.

The Restorative Justice Program reflects the very best of what community colleges can do: meet people where they are, believe in their potential, and provide a pathway forward.

For Chula Vista and the South Bay, that means stronger families, safer neighborhoods, and a more equitable future.

And we are just getting started.

Dr. Mark Sanchez, Ed.D. is Superintendent/President of Southwestern College.