“Inside Literary Prize” will be awarded at the New York Public Library on Thursday.

It is the first-ever literary prize awarded exclusively by incarcerated people from prisons across the country.

300 judges across 12 prisons were given copies of four National Book Award-honored books.

The overall goal of this initiative is to expand access to literature for those who are incarcerated.

The event was organized by Freedom Reads, the National Book Foundation, and the Center for Justice Innovation.

Reginald Dwayne Betts, founder and CEO of Freedom Reads, joined “The Rush Hour” on Thursday to discuss the new literary prize awarded by incarcerated people.