Education Commons^™

Filling Critical Gaps For College In Prison Programs: Strategies From Two Community Based Organizations, Sara Alpert, Rachel Zolensky, Shon Holman-Wheatley

Journal of Student Financial Aid

When the federal government banned incarcerated students from accessing Pell Grants in the mid-1990s, a new model for supporting Higher Education in Prison (HEP) programs emerged– utilizing Community-Based Organizations (CBOs) as third-party facilitators to fill the gaps left behind in the absence of federal financial aid. With the long-awaited reinstatement of Pell for incarcerated learners that went into effect in 2023, it is essential to consider the critical role that CBOs have played in supporting college programming in the absence of Pell and how they can continue to be leveraged to ensure quality and access for Prison Education Programs (PEPs) …

The Unrealized Promise Of College-In-Prison: Financial Hurdles To Reenrollment And Completion In The Era Of Pell Reinstatement, Julia Bowling, Pavithra Nagarajan, Kristen Parsons, Neal A. Palmer

Journal of Student Financial Aid

College-in-prison programs are positioned to expand substantially under the reinstatement of Pell Grant eligibility for people in prison. While this change will enable more students who have been systemically excluded from higher education to attend college, degree completion is rare during incarceration and post-release. Student perspectives can shed light on both the value of college-in-prison and the financial barriers to realizing its value. This study analyzes data from 12 focus groups with 105 total college-in-prison student participants, 114 student survey responses, and 45 stakeholder interviews. The data were collected between 2018-2022 during a process evaluation of the College-in-Prison Reentry Initiative, …

Incarcerated To Educated: The On-Campus Experiences Of College Students Post Incarceration, Taylor Comer

Masters Theses

As reentry rates continue to climb in the United States, more individuals with felony convictions on their criminal records will be looking to obtain post-secondary education to make themselves more marketable in the workforce. The purpose of this narrative study was to examine the experiences of three individuals that pursued higher education after being released from prison. It was determined that the criminality of these individuals had minimal impact on their experiences in higher education, and that there are other components of their identity that have a heavier influence on their likelihood of success. The other components of their identities …

The Influence Of Prison Skills Programming On The Reentry Process, Jennifer Tatten

Educational Studies Dissertations

Prison skills programming that is focused on employment readiness, reentry skills, parenting and family relationships, life skills, and anger management is offered with an understanding that the information will support individuals with reentry in areas such as family reintegration and employment. The purpose of this mixed-methods dissertation study was to explore the reasons that individuals chose to participate in skills programming during incarceration and their perceptions about the ways in which skills programming influenced their experiences with family and employment during reentry. Data were collected from diverse participants using a Reentry Experiences Survey (RES) (Appendix A), in-depth interviews, and archival …

Occupational Therapy Fieldwork In An Emerging Justice-Based Setting: Hope For Prisoners, Noah Claypool

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

This capstone occurred through a partnership with HOPE for Prisoners in Las Vegas, Nevada. As an emerging area of practice, the occupational therapy profession needs more resources and programs focused on the justice system. The lack of evidence-based resources to support future level I fieldwork students at HOPE for Prisoners poses a barrier for students to maximize their fieldwork experience and effectively engage with the organization’s population of incarcerated and formerly incarcerated men, women, and young adults in southern Nevada.This capstone experience involved a 14-week immersion at HOPE for Prisoners, including participation in training and workshops and engagement with clients, …

Religious Orientation And Coping In Third Culture Kids, Kayla Zerbe

Honors Projects and Presentations: Undergraduate

This study examines the correlation between religious orientation and religious coping in Third Culture Kids (TCKs). Young adult TCKs often struggle with their identity, mental health, and cultural adjustment during the reentry process. Despite the unique struggles TCKs experience, very little research has been done on this population. Religion may play a role in the reentry process as support, challenge, or way of coping. The present study examines religion in TCKs through the lens of motivation, using the Religious Orientation Scale (ROS), which measures intrinsic and extrinsic religious orientation, and the Brief RCOPE, which measures positive and negative religious coping. …

Book Review Of Halfway Home: Race, Punishment, And The Afterlife Of Mass Incarceration, Neal Mcnabb

Journal of Prison Education and Reentry (2014-2023)

This piece is a book review of Halfway Home: Race, Punishment, and the Afterlife of Mass Incarceration by Reuben Jonathan Miller.

The Effects Of Long-Term Incarceration On Women: An Investigation Of The Re-Entry Journey Of Four Long-Term Incarcerates Living At A Re-Entry Program, Francine White

Theses and Dissertations

The social problem under investigation was that although there had been a general rise in the number of incarcerated women in the United States, these women faced several challenges trying to re-enter society upon their release from incarceration. The purpose of this qualitative single case study research was to explore how a re-entry program, from the perspective of previously incarcerated women, attempted to integrate incarcerated women back into society. The study considered how the re-entry program could be designed to reduce recidivism in women. The research design was a qualitative case study with six data sources: individual interviews of previously …

Bars To Bridges: Culturally Responsive Education Advocacy, Micaella Flores, Christine Otto

National Youth Advocacy and Resilience Conference

We'll explore tangible ways to advocate for BIPOC students who've experienced educational disruptions. We’ll discuss the methods and model The Bars to Bridges Program uses to successfully transition justice involved youth into their academic settings and maintain engagement in education.

An Evaluation Of The County Of Santa Clara’S Reentry Alcohol And Drug Studies Peer Mentor Program, Sarah Oliveira

Master's Projects

In the United States, incarceration rates have increased dramatically over the last three decades, soaring above any other country. Significant factors contributing to the increase include changes in sentencing laws and policies that target drug-related offenders and prioritize punishment over rehabilitation. Strict sentencing laws have led to mass incarceration, which has caused severe prison overcrowding and led to the infringement of fundamental human rights in prisons (Gottesdiener, 2011).

According to the U.S. Department of Labor, approximately 600,000 individuals are released from federal and state prisons each year (Carson, 2018). In California, an estimated one in three adults has an arrest …

Rethinking Social Reintegration And Prison: A Critical Analysis Of An Educational Proposal For An Alternative Model In Brazil, Sergio Grossi

Journal of Prison Education and Reentry (2014-2023)

The call for social reintegration of prisoners, in many cases, does not work or has been abandoned, leaving the question of inclusivity regarding the imprisoned an open challenge in contemporary societies. My study provides a critical analysis of a model defined as an educational system of social reintegration, which aspires to be an alternative to imprisonment in Brazil and worldwide by proposing a reduction in the recidivism rate at a lower cost. I discuss the possibilities of social reintegration and the educational conceptions and practices that can emerge from it, though a document analysis and ethnography of two model units. …

Teaching Creativity: A 21st Century Reentry Skill, Cynthia Sepulveda

Creativity and Change Leadership Graduate Student Master's Projects

This project reflects a search to identify the creativity tools that will enable returning citizens to solve problems and make better decisions so that they can live satisfying and productive lives outside of prison walls. My personal creative journey through this process contributed to the content, highlighting the necessity of resiliency as an important skill for returning citizens who have spent large amounts of time incarcerated. Improv theater was identified as a useful tool to encourage resiliency in a fun, non-threatening way.

How Women Who Have Recidivated Describe Their Readiness For Employment After Release From Prison, Simba Kathleen Fox

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Since the 1980s, the population of women prisoners incarcerated in the state of California had significantly increased by 500% more than that of the male prisoners. The United States had more incarcerated women than any other country. Along with this alarming rise in female incarceration, recidivism rates were also higher among female inmates. This problem has negatively affected women in California; whereas 57% of the women released from prison were rearrested within three to seven years. The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological research study was to investigate how 18 women who had recidivated with the same or a different criminal …

The Use Of Vocational Services By Formerly Incarcerated Citizens Who Obtained Employment, Marianne Gonta

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Almost 2.3 million people are incarcerated in correctional facilities across the United States. More than 95% of this population will be released to return to society at some time. People returning from prison can be at a disadvantage as they compete for work. They might be challenged by known barriers to employment, like restrictions on work opportunities and powerful stigma, resulting in a social problem. While some correctional facilities provide vocational services, 75% or more of citizens returning to U.S. communities from prison cannot obtain sustainable wage employment. Yet, it appears there is little research illuminating the pathways used by …

American Epidemic: The Societal And Multi-Generational Impacts Caused By The Mass Incarceration Of Women In The United States, Jessica Younts

Theses and Dissertations

This study examined the social impacts of incarcerating women, specifically mothers, as well as the far-reaching collateral consequences that the mass incarceration of women in the United States has on formerly incarcerated women’s successful reintegration back into society and analyzed how the harsh policies that exist detrimentally impact family members and society as a whole. This study revealed several themes that show the far reaching damage incarceration itself has on women and their families and provides a more comprehensive analysis of the incalculable costs of mass incarceration. By raising awareness to the long-term impact on society, this research can provide …

“You’Re Almost In This Place That Doesn’T Exist”: The Impact Of College In Prison As Understood By Formerly Incarcerated Students From The Northeastern United States, Hilary Binda, Jill D. Weinberg, Nora Maetzener, Carolyn Rubin

Journal of Prison Education and Reentry (2014-2023)

This qualitative study examines the immediate and lasting impact of liberal arts higher education in prison from the perspective of former college-in-prison students from the Northeastern United States. Findings obtained through semi-structured interviews with formerly incarcerated people are presented in the following three areas: self-confidence and agency, interpersonal relationships, and capacity for civic leadership. This study further examines former students’ reflections on the relationship between education and human transformation and begins to benchmark college programming with attention to the potential for such transformation. The authors identify four characteristics critical to a program’s success: academic rigor, the professor's respect for students, …

The Reentry Experience For Study Abroad Counselors-In-Training, Corinna Arndt

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Students often encounter difficulties upon returning home after a study abroad cultural immersion experience, but many counseling education programs provide limited or no reentry assistance. Despite this challenge, there is little research regarding the reentry process as students transition back into their home culture, as most research is focused on multicultural competency building. Thus, understanding the reentry processes can help students successfully navigate this important aspect of study abroad trips. To this end, a qualitative thematic analysis design was used to identify themes related to masters-level counseling students’ experiences upon returning home from a 3-week study abroad cultural immersion trip. …

Georgia Department Of Juvenile Justice - Education And Reentry Collaborative Programming, Zane Shelfer, Cathy Smith-Curry

National Youth Advocacy and Resilience Conference

Many youth experience barriers reentering their local school system once released from confinement. The Georgia Department of Juvenile Justice's Office of Reentry Services and School System work collaboratively to remove these barriers by building partnerships with school systems state-wide. This presentation will provide participants a programmatic overview and framework used to reduce barriers.

Free Battered Texas Women: Survivor-Advocates Organizing At The Crossroads Of Gendered Violence, Disability, And Incarceration, Cathy Marston Phd

Verbum Incarnatum: An Academic Journal of Social Justice

This article recaps my symposium presentation, where I argue that feminist organizing strategies are central to healing our society and creating restorative justice from my perspective as a survivor of occupational injury, battering, and criminalization for self-defense. This includes the creation of Free Battered Texas Women. We prefer to think of ourselves as survivor-advocates who use a variety of tactics to empower ourselves, incarcerated battered women, and citizens. These strategies include pedagogy; poetry and other written forms; art; and legislative advocacy. I blend this grassroots activism with feminist disability theory, radical feminist theory, feminist ethnography, and feminist criminology.

Undergraduate Students As Job Mentors To Support Youth Transitioning From Incarceration, Theresa A. Ochoa, Niki Weller, Molly Riddle

Journal of Prison Education and Reentry (2014-2023)

Helping Offenders Prosper through Employment (HOPE) is a university-based mentoring program that trains undergraduate students to serve as job mentors to incarcerated youth serving a sentence in Indiana’s juvenile correctional facilities. The purpose of this article is to describe HOPE’s mission, principles and components, underscoring how undergraduates are prepared and serve as credible role models to incarcerated youth during and after confinement to improve community reentry. This article is intended for practitioners interested in implementing evidence-based peer mentoring in juvenile correctional facilities as well as scholars interested in the study of factors that reduce juvenile recidivism.

Breaking The Chains: Reversing The School-To-Prison Pipeline Through The Academic Experiences Of Formerly Incarcerated Black Males, Folasade Ogunbanwo

Master's Theses

This case study explores the academic experiences of formerly incarcerated Black males. The goal of the case study is to inform policymakers and critical race scholars who take interest in the prison-to-school pipeline and ultimately dismantle the school-to-prison pipeline. The historical impact of slavery has manifested into this vicious pipeline and the overrepresentation of Black males in the prison industrial complex. This case study is to demonstrate how the net is casted on those affected by the incarceration system and that break the cycle for themselves by pursuing an education to create an upward academic trajectory.

Georgia Department Of Juvenile Justice School System - Building A Better Future, Zane Shelfer

National Youth Advocacy and Resilience Conference

Come see how the Georgia Department of Juvenile Justice (DJJ) School System is Building a Better Future for students who enroll. The DJJ School System provides academic and career services to students from middle school through high school and up to enrollment in technical college and four-year universities. Highlights will include an overview of these services and best practice information for creating a similar school system.

The Conduits And Barriers To Reentry For Formerly Incarcerated Individuals In San Bernardino, Annika Anderson, Noe J. Nava, Patricia Cortez

Journal of Prison Education and Reentry (2014-2023)

Numerous scholars have noted that the majority of prisoners will be reincarcerated within three years of their release. However, while there has been extensive research on recidivism, much less attention has been paid to the reentry process in the sociological and criminological literature. Given the high rates of former prisoners reentering society with struggles that may affect their friends, family members, and communities, policymakers and practitioners should understand the successful methods for their reintegration. In this paper, we explore the conduits and barriers to reentry for a sample of San Bernardino county callers using United Way’s 211 Reentry Call Center …

Reentry And Reflection For Study Abroad Returnees At The University Of South Carolina, Paige N. Pierce

Senior Theses

Reentry is a growing practice in education abroad programming, however it remains significantly less developed than pre-departure preparations despite the increasing numbers of U.S. students going abroad in college. This project is a qualitative study looking at how the University of South Carolina (USC) addresses reentry for its students returning from their education abroad. Faculty and staff from six departments at USC were interviewed for data collection on the topic of reentry for the returned student. These stakeholders were chosen based on their professional positions and involvement in internationalization and study abroad education. The interviews were recorded, transcribed, and manually …

The Interaction Effects Of Subjective And Structural Factors On Crime Among Formerly Incarcerated Males, Christopher Alvin Veeh

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The high rate of recidivism in the over 600,000 individuals who return from incarceration each year is an important social problem facing U.S. society and the criminal justice system. Efforts undertaken so far early in the 21st century to address the problem of recidivism in the formerly incarcerated, particularly prison reentry programs, have produced disappointing results at reducing the rate of recidivism. Therefore, there is a need to identify new ways for prison reentry programs to reduce recidivism among individuals recently returned from prison, and social work with its person-in-environment perspective can make an important contribution through conducting research to …

Meeting The Predeparture And Reentry Needs Of Onu Spanish Study Abroad Students, Rachel M. Groters

Honors Program Projects

The purpose of the Predeparture and Reentry Needs project was to examine the reentry adjustment of Olivet Nazarene University (ONU) Spanish students who had already returned home from required study abroad experiences in order to craft predeparture and reentry programs based on findings. In Phase 1, the researcher recorded qualitative interviews in March and April of 2012 with 22 ONU undergraduate students who studied abroad in Spanish-speaking countries before the spring 2012 semester. Then the researcher listened to each interview again, taking notes on each and transcribing quotes. The researcher found that all students experienced some level and kind of …

A Voice Of Silence: Reentry Adult Black Male Students In Higher Education, Dionne Rosser-Mims, Glenn A. Palmer, Pamela Harroff

Adult Education Research Conference

While much has been written about the experiences of Black males, there is a dearth of empirical data that explores their educational experiences as adult reentry students into higher education. The goal of this qualitative study is to identify strategies to help support African American males successfully matriculate through college and graduate.