A recent CBS News story highlighted the Manhattan DA’s College-in-Prison Reentry Initiative:

This fall, New York’s education program will expand, over the objections of state lawmakers, who rebuffed Gov. Andrew Cuomo‘s request for more money.

So instead, Cuomo teamed up with Manhattan District Attorney Cy Vance to divert $7.5 million in criminal forfeiture money to add at least 800 more students.

“This is a public safety issue. I know that data supports my decisions and therefore, I think the citizens of the state should understand that this makes sense in terms of community safety,” Vance said.

According to the state, 39 percent of New York’s inmates commit another crime once they get out. But with a college degree from the program, the recidivism rate slides to 16 percent – a drop of more than half.

“They don’t come back into our system. And that’s really how we know it works,” said Linda Hollmen, director of education for New York’s Department of Corrections and Community Supervision.