CORE delivers the deepest transformation but is structurally constrained by eligibility, transfer timing and capacity. Three pathways bridge the gap between impact and scale, aligning each man’s level of engagement with his readiness and access.
Deep transformation, the flagship
CORE is PEP’s fullest expression of its theory of change: the highest-touch, highest-confidence pathway, and the benchmark against which everything else is measured. Graduates receive PEP’s full reentry continuum. That full-service model is sustainable precisely because it is reserved for those who have earned it.
Community and the bridge to CORE
Online changes what a man thinks. In-prison incentivized housing changes how he lives. Men opt into a values-structured residential environment, held accountable by peers who chose the same standard. It serves men who may never qualify for CORE, and it improves the quality of the candidates who do.
Broad access and early preparation
Online reaches men at the beginning of their sentences through the TDCJ tablet network, with no eligibility requirement. It is both a candidate discovery system that strengthens the pipeline for Housing and CORE, and a standalone impact pathway for the majority who will never enter a deeper program.
| Year | CORE | Incentivized Housing | Online (Tablets) | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 640 | 270 | 3,800 | 4,710 |
| 2027 | 737 | 450 | 5,100 | 6,287 |
| 2028 | 783 | 700 | 7,000 | 8,483 |
| 2029 | 868 | 1,100 | 9,200 | 11,168 |
| 2030 | 834 | 1,600 | 11,400 | 13,834 |
The shift in mix reflects PEP’s transition from serving 100% of participants through CORE to a multi-pathway portfolio, where growth comes from asset-light pathways while CORE is preserved as the flagship. CORE’s per-participant cost stays stable; what changes is its relative share.
The portfolio-weighted recidivism reduction settles at roughly 33% by 2030. That is a disciplined number, not a diluted one: CORE delivers the deepest outcomes for the men it reaches, and the other two pathways extend meaningful formation to thousands more.
