Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®
Articles 1 - 3 of 3
Full-Text Articles in Criminology
Citizen Volunteers In Prison: Bringing The Outside In, Taking The Inside Out, Lisa Kort-Butler, Sarah E. Malone
Citizen Volunteers In Prison: Bringing The Outside In, Taking The Inside Out, Lisa Kort-Butler, Sarah E. Malone
Department of Sociology: Faculty Publications
The United States correctional system relies heavily on citizen volunteers, but there is little contemporary research on prison volunteers, which is further limited by sample and geographic region. The purpose of this project was to explore the role of citizen volunteers, including investigating why they volunteer and what their experiences with inmates and prison staff are like. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with citizen volunteers in the penal system of a Midwestern state. Volunteers had altruistic or faith-based motivations, viewing themselves as ‘seed planters’ but not saviors, and placing priority on building relationships. They described how volunteering transformed their views on …
How Porous Are The Walls That Separate Us?: Transformative Service-Learning, Women’S Incarceration, And The Unsettled Self, Coralynn V. Davis
How Porous Are The Walls That Separate Us?: Transformative Service-Learning, Women’S Incarceration, And The Unsettled Self, Coralynn V. Davis
Faculty Journal Articles
In this article, we refine a politics of thinking from the margins by exploring a pedagogical model that advances transformative notions of service learning as social justice teaching. Drawing on a recent course we taught involving both incarcerated women and traditional college students, we contend that when communication among differentiated and stratified parties occurs, one possible result is not just a view of the other but also a transformation of the self and other. More specifically, we suggest that an engaged feminist praxis of teaching incarcerated women together with college students helps illuminate the porous nature of fixed markers that …
Lower Crime Rates And Prisoner Recidivism, Stephanie Stravinskas
Lower Crime Rates And Prisoner Recidivism, Stephanie Stravinskas
Honors College Theses
The transition from prison life back into society is not simple. The number of ex-prisoners that recidivate is alarming. Ex- offenders must find a residence, purchase life’s necessities and locate a job. In addition, many prisoners have not been rehabilitated, developed skills, or obtained an education while in prison. Focusing funds on rehabilitation programs instead of the construction of new prisons may be a more effective long-term strategy to reduce criminal activity. Strategies to reduce recidivism are discussed along with an analysis of what their implementation might entail.