College credit for suspected criminals? New Broward program swaps the courtroom with the classroom

A new program will allow those accused of nonviolent first offenses in Broward to take college courses instead of going to trial — as long as the victim of the alleged crime agrees.

Broward State Attorney Harold Pryor, Public Defender Gordon Weekes, and Broward College President Gregory Haile announced the new pre-trial diversion program, a collaboration between their three offices called “Court to College,” at a signing ceremony Tuesday.

The Broward State Attorney’s Office currently offers six other diversion programs, but State Attorney Harold Pryor said in his speech that this one will be “far more than a diversion program.”

“We’re changing lives while making our community safer,” Pryor said, “by striving not to see these individuals in the court system ever again.”

Those charged with nonviolent, third-degree felonies or less can now choose to take courses at Broward College in order to receive either Marine Electrician, Automotive Service, or Logistics and Transportation Specialist certificates, tuition free, as long as they meet the admissions criteria and the listed victim of the crime approves of their entry into the program.

Broward College used “labor market information” to select tracks that would offer employment opportunities to participants, according to the State Attorney’s Office news release. Grant money will cover the cost of tuition, books, and certification exams.

Once the accused offenders complete the program, the charges against them will be dropped.

The Public Defender’s Office works with Broward College to identify eligible cases, before bringing in the State Attorney’s Office, which reaches out to the victims, said Dr. Mildred Coyne, Senior Vice President of Workforce Education and Innovation at Broward College.

A “hallmark” of the program is the “required collaboration” between the accused and the person listed as the victim in their case, according to the Broward College news release.

Victims of the offenses in question will receive the same opportunity as the accused, only with a wider selection of courses to choose from, Coyne said.

Prosecutors with the State Attorney’s Office “came up with the idea to require victim approval because we believe it is very important to take the victim’s input very seriously,” said Paula McMahon, a spokesperson for the State Attorney’s Office.

Pryor also frequently receives feedback from the community that victims should receive the same opportunities as offenders, McMahon said. Now they can.

“If we can provide access to the educational opportunity, that’s what we should be doing,” Coyne said. “... We just saw it as an opportunity to make sure they also know the opportunities available to them to gain access to post-secondary education.”

The program began in October. Currently, only three people are enrolled, all of them in the Logistics and Transportation track, Coyne said.

One of the students, a resident of North Lauderdale who spoke at the signing, described struggling in school despite the pressure to succeed.

Sports became a way to “find a way around it,” said Mark, who did not provide his last name. He started playing football, but broke his collarbone, and stopped going to school after his high school diploma.

Now, he studies supply chain management at Broward College.

“I honestly can’t wait to see what my future holds in this,” he said.

Public Defender Gordon Weekes said the program will be “transformational.”

“I’m a product of community college,” Weekes said in a speech. “I know the value of opportunity, I know the value that this institution has. We need to give that value to each and every person that we can.”

Broward College also announced a second program, called “Corrections to College,” a collaboration with the Florida Department of Corrections that will offer education to inmates at the Hollywood Community Release Center, which houses women in the last 18 months of their sentence.

Prior to their release and continuing after, inmates will be able to receive certifications in “in-demand industries” including supply chain management and marketing, according to the news release.