Oct 03, 2015 12:21 AM EDT By Staff Reporter, UniversityHerald Reporter

The University of Phoenix isoffering a new Bachelor of Science in Correctional Program Support Services, school officials announced Thursday.

The undergraduate program will provide correctional and criminal justice industry professionals with an advanced understanding of how justice systems and social services intersect, allowing them to expand their skillsets to help address mental health, rehabilitation and recidivism issues that affect communities in the United States.

School officials launched this program to address challenges faced by the nation's correctional facilities and better serve the professionals who seek sustainable solutions to the effective reintegration of offenders into society.

Driven by a rising national concern over public safety, and with the rate of mental illness among people incarcerated in the United State's prisons and jails significantly higher than that of the non-incarcerated population, there is a heightened need for professionals who understand the systematic realities for offenders, both during incarceration and after their release.     

"There are critical roles in today's society for correctional program support services," Dr. Stephen Sharp, academic dean for University of Phoenix College of Social Sciences, said in a statement. "Across the country, well-trained professionals have opportunities to help break the cycle for offenders who struggle with reintegrating into their communities and relapse into criminal behavior."

Students enrolled in this program will be trained to serve in positions such as case managers, program directors and program managers, which are designed to assist with the societal reintegration of offenders. The program will equip students with foundational skills to address correctional field trends such as prison overcrowding, gangs and mental health and substance abuse issues that impact correctional facilities and court-mandated programs.

"By preparing individuals for a variety of support roles in the correctional industry, we can help both our students and society by filling an area of significant need," Dr. Constance St. Germain, executive dean of University of Phoenix College of Social Sciences, said in a statement. "The Bachelor of Science in Correctional Program Support Services was designed in collaboration with University of Phoenix College of Security and Criminal Justice as well as corrections industry subject matter experts, all of whom reflected the real-world needs of professionals in the field."

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