Historic admission of incarcerated student at UPR Law School

September 18, 2024

Historic admission of incarcerated student at UPR Law School

This semester Miguel Ángel Nieves Domínguez has begun studying towards a Juris Doctor as part of an agreement between UPR and the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation that allows incarcerated persons to study Law.

The University of Puerto Rico (UPR), the Río Piedras Campus of the UPR and the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (DCR) announced today the historic admission of an incarcerated student to pursue studies leading to a Juris Doctor.

Miguel Ángel Nieves Domínguez began studying at UPR Law School this semester as part of an agreement between both institutions making studies in Law available for a specific group of students who are deprived of their freedom.

“Today we take a significant step in the history of our institution, particularly our law school, by demonstrating that education is a powerful tool for the transformation and rehabilitation of persons who are deprived of their freedom. This agreement not only reaffirms our commitment to social justice, but also opens new doors of hope and opportunities for those who seek to rehabilitate and reintegrate into society,” said the chancellor of UPR, Río Piedras Campus, Dr. Angélica Varela Llavona.

This historic admission takes on greater relevance because he graduated in the first class of the University Studies for Incarcerated Persons Program, a project founded by Father Fernando Picó that continues today thanks to the tireless work of Dr. Edna Benítez Laborde, professor of the College of General Studies.

The Dean of UPR Law School, Vivian I. Neptune Rivera, said that, “Miguel is a clear example of the power of education in rehabilitation. Aspiring to be a member of the legal profession and giving a voice to the voiceless summarize his desire to work for real access to justice. An education in Law is a crucial tool to achieve a more just and inclusive society. The fact that Miguel is studying at our law school is the best example that aspirations and dreams can come true when the necessary support is provided and access to educational institutions is made viable.”

“We feel hopeful and honored to be the only law school in Puerto Rico and the United States with an on-campus program for persons deprived of freedom. This will be the beginning of a long-lasting collaboration based on the firm belief that rehabilitation is possible and that second chances are the foundation for a better country,” said Neptune Rivera. The agreement between UPR and the DCR will be in effect until July 2029 and two additional admissions are foreseen for August 2025 and August 2026, if all applicable requirements are met.

The secretary of the DCR, Ana Escobar Pabón, highlighted the importance of Nieves Domínguez’s admission to UPR Law School as proof that education transforms the life of persons deprived of their freedom.

“Today we are telling the people of Puerto Rico about Miguel’s accomplishments. We are telling them that his tenacity in the pursuit of his goals led him to make history. I firmly believe in these rehabilitation processes, I believe in these opportunities, and I believe that education is liberating. Even if you are in prison, there is nothing that can make you feel more free than getting an education. I am confident that he will complete his degree. I thank the University of Puerto Rico for carrying on Father Fernando Picó’s legacy” she said.

Nieves Domínguez graduated magna cum laude with a Bachelor of Arts in General Studies from the University Studies for Incarcerated Persons Program at the College of General Studies in May 2022. This was possible thanks to the collaboration agreement between UPR and the DCR establishing access to Incarcerated populations to the bachelor’s degree as a support strategy in their rehabilitation process. In January 2024, he was admitted to the Master’s in Cultural Administration and Agency program at the College of Humanities where he studied for one semester, but his dream had always been to study Law. For this reason, during his undergraduate studies, he participated in the Enlace con Escuelas Públicas [Liaison with Public Schools] program in a special collaboration with UPR Law School, and took the LSAT. After fulfilling all the requirements and completing the formal application procedure, he was admitted to UPR Law School in August 2024.

The now graduate student spoke about his experience as a university student: “Pursuing a bachelor’s degree was a great challenge. The process was enriching and changed my world view. Then, in the Master’s in Cultural Administration and Agency, I integrated knowledge that I can align towards social development. Now, I am fulfilling my dream. I am a student at UPR Law School.”

“My goal is to create opportunities for social inclusion as a part of social transformation. University education is a tool that provokes the development of the human being through critical thinking. This is an important moment for social transformation,” added Nieves Domínguez.

Dr. Edna Benítez Laborde, mentor and coordinator of the University Studies Program for Incarcerated Persons, said that this admission fills her with joy. “I am very excited and grateful for this historic achievement, the admission of a student deprived of freedom to UPR Law School. It is one of the most valuable accomplishments of years of work and commitment to university education in prisons. At the institutional level, both UPR Law School and the DCR have collaborated to take a step forward as they search for alternatives for social rehabilitation,” she said.

Benítez Laborde pointed out that, “there is currently only one such agreement in the United States. It began in 2022 between Mitchell Hamline Law School in Saint Paul and the Minnesota

Department of Correction when they admitted two incarcerated students who are currently studying online.”

“Regarding our student, his perseverance and true commitment to a dream is the greatest proof of his personal transformation; but this achievement is not only individual, it has a collective relevance. The presence of Miguel Ángel Nieves Domínguez at UPR Law School and what his experience and situation represent are necessary for the transformation of legal education, legal practice, and the struggle for justice and social peace,” she added.

Finally, the president of UPR, Dr. Luis A. Ferrao Delgado, expressed that, “Miguel Ángel marks a breakthrough in the academic and social history of our institution. His admission to UPR Law School not only opens new opportunities for him, but also reaffirms our commitment to justice and inclusion. Through this agreement between UPR and the DCR we are promoting access to education and providing a second chance to those seeking to reintegrate and contribute positively to our society.”

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Histórica admisión de estudiante confinado a la Escuela de Derecho UPR (18 de septiembre de 2024)