Prison Education and Reentry Commons^™

Emotional Intelligence Deficits And Behavioral Escalation Among Justice-Involved Populations, Aleasa M. Word

Master of Arts in Human Services

This capstone examined the relationship between deficits in emotional intelligence and behavioral escalation among justice-involved populations, who frequently demonstrated challenges with emotional regulation, impulse control, aggression, and behavioral escalation. However, many correctional interventions, including traditional anger management programming, emphasized behavioral compliance rather than the underlying emotional processing deficiencies that contributed to these behaviors. This project synthesized existing peer-reviewed literature from psychology, criminology, forensic behavioral health, and correctional rehabilitation research to examine how low levels of emotional awareness, emotional regulation, empathy, and interpersonal functioning are associated with aggression, recidivism, and escalating behaviors. Findings suggested deficits in emotional intelligence were consistently associated …

Faculty Perspectives On Career And Technical Education Programming For Prison And Other At-Risk Populations: Implications Of A Human Centered Design Focus, Taija R. Jackson

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

The purpose of this quantitative, cross-sectional, quasi-experimental study was to examine the perceptions of career and technical education (CTE) faculty regarding their familiarity with human-centered design (HCD), perceptions of the value and worth as a framework for program and curriculum design and willingness to teach in correctional education settings. The survey was administered to postsecondary CTE employed at public community and technical colleges in Utah and Colorado (N = 37). Participants were randomly assigned to either a treatment condition, in which they viewed a six-minute-long video vignette illustrating HCD in practice, or a control condition without exposure to the …

School Just Wasn't For Me: Investigating The Intersections Of Education, Incarceration, And Improvisation, Kelly L. Brady

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

New York City is the largest city in the United States and home to the nation's largest school system.  NYC public schools are also the country's most segregated, according to a 2021 report from the UCLA Civil Rights Project.  This qualitative, Arts-Based Research study follows the development and performance of an applied theater piece created by formerly incarcerated and court-involved youth exploring their early educational experiences before encountering the juvenile justice system. Using Disability/Critical Race Theory (DisCrit) and Critical Performance Ethnography this project investigates how structural systems of education and incarceration intersect to construct youth as "others," including special education, …

Systemic Barriers To Educational And Employment Attainment Among Individuals With Substance Use Disorders, Mollie B. Mccann Poblocki

Creativity and Change Leadership Graduate Student Master's Projects

Substance use disorders (SUDs) and opioid use disorder (OUD) represent one of the most pressing yet poorly understood public health crises in the United States. Despite decades of clinical intervention, recovery outcomes remain deeply unequal, not because individuals lack motivation, but because the structural systems surrounding them are fundamentally broken. This project explored that reality through a comprehensive literature review examining how systemic barriers across educational systems, labor markets, poverty dynamics, and healthcare infrastructure shape vulnerability, treatment access, and recovery outcomes for individuals with SUDs. Major findings revealed a consistent socioeconomic gradient of harm: individuals with lower educational attainment, unstable …

Beyond Measurable Success: An Autoethnographic And Phenomenological Study Of Resilience And Educational Transformation After Incarceration, Robert L. Hudson

Graduate Theses & Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine how formerly incarcerated students make meaning of their higher education experiences as a means of navigating systemic barriers, fostering resilience, and reconstructing identity during post-incarceration reintegration. Existing scholarship on formerly incarcerated students in higher education emphasizes barriers, recidivism, and completion outcomes while paying limited attention to the subjective meaning making processes through which students interpret their educational experiences (Abeyta, 2022; Bozick et al., 2018; Donaldson & Viera, 2021). Formerly incarcerated learners have largely been positioned as subjects of inquiry rather than as knowledge producers about their own educational lives. This qualitative study …

Not Always Welcomed, Lavaughn Wesley

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Abstract

This qualitative dissertation explores the systemic barriers faced by adjudicated and long-term suspended youth during their reentry into the public school system, focusing on a local urban community in Pennsylvania. Through the lens of Institutional Complexity Theory, this study examines how interagency disconnection, implicit bias, inequitable disciplinary practices, and inadequate support structures contribute to the marginalization of historically underserved students, particularly Black youth, students with disabilities, and those from low-income households.

The research is driven by two central questions:

(1) What are the barriers for adjudicated youth during the reentry process?

(2) How can the home school reentry process …

Echoes Of Isolation: A Phenomenological Study On The Impact Of School Closures On Incarcerated Students’ Academic Achievement, Arthur F. Kimball

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

This study examined the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on traditionally marginalized male students, mainly Latino and African American, who were incarcerated in three juvenile detention facilities in Riverside County. The study explored the challenges these youth faced in accessing educational support during the pandemic, assessed the academic effects of remote learning, and identified culturally responsive strategies to improve their educational outcomes and help with their reintegration into society. A qualitative phenomenological approach was used to explore the lived experiences of incarcerated youth, emphasizing the barriers they faced and the resilience they showed during remote learning. Data were gathered through …

Behavioral Manifestations Of Childhood Abandonment: African-American Men's Reflections And Strategies To Support Teenage Boys In K-12 Education, Jarmel Bell

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to explore the behavioral manifestations of childhood abandonment as reflected in the lived experiences of African-American men and to identify strategies that may support African-American boys in K–12 educational settings. Although there has been limited documentation regarding the direct connection between childhood abandonment and behavioral challenges in school environments, this study seeks to address that gap by capturing the reflections of African-American men who experienced abandonment during their formative years. These reflections provide insight into how abandonment may shape behavior in educational spaces and what types of interventions or supports might have made a …

Underlying Causes Linking Foster Care And The Criminal Justice System, Marcia D. Wheeler

Master of Arts in Human Services

This research expands on the ongoing statewide crisis within the foster care system that needs to be properly addressed to benefit future and current foster youth. Research has found a connection between foster care and prison, often referred as the “foster-care-to-prison-pipeline.” This study aimed to explore the impact of trauma experienced by current and former foster youth through a life course lens looking at crucial areas of development using a mixed methodology supported by theoretical theories that explored the connection between foster care and the criminal justice system. The results showed that current and former foster youth face many adversities …

Through The Wire: Examining The Experiences Of Formerly Incarcerated Students In Prison Education Programs And The Wraparound Services Needed To Support Their Success, Isabel Castro

Dissertations

This qualitative study examines the experiences of formerly incarcerated individuals in Prison Education Programs (PEPs) and the wraparound services necessary to support their success. Through Schlossberg’s Transition Theory, this study explores how incarcerated students navigate educational transitions and how educators facilitate transformative learning. Using case study and narrative inquiry, interviews were conducted with fifteen formerly incarcerated PEP participants and seven educators.

Thematic analysis revealed six major themes: Access to Education in Carceral Settings, the Impact of Education on Incarcerated Individuals, Wraparound Services and Student Support, Experiences of Formerly Incarcerated Students, the Role of Educators and Program Facilitators, and Best Practices …

Reimagining Pedagogies Of The Prison Yard: Using Ethnotheatre To Embody Transcarceral Conocimiento, Mabelle Reynoso

Dissertations

Latinxs make up 40% of California's population but account for 45% of the prison population and 47% of the jail population (Sawyer, 2023). Their overrepresentation in carceral custody not only impacts the individual but also affects families and communities by limiting access to social, political, and educational capital and agency. In response to gaps in research specific to the collateral impact, this interdisciplinary arts-based qualitative study highlights the experiences of five formerly incarcerated Latino men who participated in an Arts in Corrections playwriting class during their time in a California state prison. This study foregrounds their knowledge as cuentistas (storytellers), …

Baby, Did You Get Your Diploma?: The Lived Experiences Of Formerly Incarcerated African American Men In The Pursuit And Attainment Of College Degrees, Charles D. Gidney

All-Inclusive List of Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to explore the lived experiences of formerly incarcerated African American men in the pursuit and attainment of college degrees. This qualitative study examined the post-incarceration educational journeys of eight men. Formerly incarcerated African American men were selected based on the limited amount of academic research that exists targeting this student demographic. A broad cross section of educational attainment was represented in this study with two participants possessing PhD’s; one doctoral candidate; two doctoral students; and three undergraduate students (one freshman, one sophomore, and one junior). At the time of the study their ages ranged …

A Pipeline To Prison Or A Pathway To Promise? The Inequities Fueling The School To Prison Pipeline, Ranishia Lachelle Bailey

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

This systematic review proposal would investigate the school-to-prison pipeline and examine the role of pedagogical interventions in mitigating youth involvement in the justice system. By analyzing existing literature, this proposal would study and explore how school system biases, educational frameworks, and systemic factors contribute to the perpetuation of this pipeline, with a specific focus on how educational policies and disciplinary practices impact at-risk youth. The review aims to identify effective interventions that can disrupt this cycle, including restorative justice practices, trauma-informed education, positive behavioral interventions, and culturally responsive teaching. A comprehensive search strategy should be employed across various academic databases, …

Breaking The Pipeline: Exploring Exclusionary Discipline, Restorative Justice, And The Attitudes And Beliefs Of Educators, Ericka J. Varnedoe

Honors College Theses

This study explores the connection between exclusionary disciplinary practices and the school-to-prison pipeline. It highlights how exclusionary discipline, including suspensions and expulsions, disproportionately affects marginalized groups such as students of color, students with disabilities, and LGBTQ youth, further contributing to the school-to-prison pipeline. In contrast, restorative justice, a non-punitive approach, offers a promising alternative. Initially adopted from the criminal justice system, restorative justice has been integrated into school environments to foster positive school climates, improve experiences, and mitigate challenging behaviors. This research examines educators' attitudes toward both exclusionary and restorative practices, as well as their awareness and implementation of restorative …

The Implementation Of Higher Education In The Prison System In Mississippi: The Challenges And Benefits, Elizabeth F. Ratliff

Honors Theses

Growing support for higher education in prison has sparked much conversation regarding the challenges and benefits of the programs and their implementation. In Mississippi, this has become an increasingly prevalent issue as the incarcerated population continues to grow and programs continue to be limited in accessibility. Mississippi’s incarcerated population deserves the opportunity to gain knowledge and skills through higher education to better themselves individually and better their communities upon release. However, Mississippi faces unique challenges in its prison system, preventing the benefits of these programs from showing. The purpose of this study is to gain insight into the challenges and …

Deadtime In The Vale Of Soul-Making: Hermeneutics, Humanization, And Higher Education In Prison, Dale Michael Brown

Dissertations

This body of work examines higher education with and for justice-involved people from a descriptive, theoretical, and empirical perspective—pulling together multiple disciplines and employing different methodologies from the humanities and social sciences. The investigation is written from a philosophical perspective via educational foundations and a social science perspective via qualitative research, including an examination of carceral higher education’s connections to teaching and experiential learning. This approach reflects the interdisciplinary nature of both the author’s degree program and the topic itself, which (as a field of academic inquiry) is part theoretical and part empirical (both qualitative and quantitative). The papers in …

Design And Implementation Of In-Prison Restorative Justice Programs: Insights On Leadership Challenges, Jonathan Paul Branch

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

The purpose of this case study is to provide direct insight into effective strategies for designing and implementing an in-prison restorative justice program. Mass incarceration remains a deeply entrenched characteristic of the U.S. criminal justice system, and prisons pose unique challenges to restorative practices, which literature on the subject often describe in general terms. By focusing on one organization successfully implementing in-prison restorative justice, the study aims at specifically illustrating how the prison system impedes attempts at providing restorative services and what practitioners might do to circumvent or otherwise mitigate those challenges. The study is guided by the following primary …

Healing Communities With Police Divestment: Seeking Abolition Through Transformative Reform And Community-Government Collaboration, Jessica E. Gillson

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Concerns about the efficacy and sustainability of the U.S. carceral system have persisted throughout the country’s history, recently fueling renewed activism and bipartisan calls for reform. However, proposed solutions remain divisive. This thesis first defines the current status of our prison systems, then explores collaborative alternatives to incarceration and policing that support communities and break cycles of incarceration.

Focusing on partnerships among local governments, community organizations, justice-involved individuals, and law enforcement, this study examines holistic approaches to crime prevention, reentry, and reintegration. Using an interdisciplinary framework incorporating restorative justice, community resilience, and systems theory, it investigates how community-based strategies can …

Math Education: A Comprehensive Guide To Teaching The Foundations, Claudia Jayne Staruch

Honors College Theses

This thesis investigates the critical need for strong foundational mathematics education for adults. More specifically, for incarcerated individuals who lack basic numeracy skills because of the systematic inequalities that they have faced, the need for a mathematics foundation is even higher. This work emphasizes a non-technological approach to teaching these basics through qualitative analysis, including teaching strategies and practical lessons, while recognizing the various barriers many learners face. This research serves as a guide for educators to use for how to sequence and pace lessons, address certain learning styles, and gain classroom engagement, comprehension, and long-term retention of the materials. …

Community Reintegration Of Previously Incarcerated Individuals From A Virtue Perspective, Cindy Noemi Hernandez

Theses and Dissertations

Community reintegration is one of the most important indicators that determine the success of previously incarcerated individuals’ rehabilitation. It is influenced by several factors such as support, attitudes, strengths, and virtues. One emerging area of study that can be related to community reintegration is virtue. The concept of virtue has received increasing attention in rehabilitation research, focused on how one’s virtuous pursuit of excellence improves well-being and adaptation (Kim et al., 2016). In that community reintegration is a type of life adjustment, virtue can be related to community reintegration. The present study examined community reintegration and perceived support of previously …

From Injustice To Social Justice Education: The Journey Of Formerly Incarcerated Women Of Color In Community College, Hossna Sadat Ahadi

Dissertations

There is a growing rate of women of color in the U.S. prison system—their intersectional identities are hypercriminalized surrounding the nexus of oppressive barriers they experience (Annamma, 2017). The lack of awareness, understanding, and advocacy for carceral-impacted women of color in higher education has engendered an erasure. This qualitative research study explored and elevated the lived experiences and intersectional identities of formerly incarcerated women of color in postsecondary education. Through the lens of Latino critical race theory (LatCrit) and Chicana feminism, four methods of data collection took place—surveys, cajitas, testimonios, and reflective journaling. Formerly incarcerated women of color experienced the …

Visit The Imprisoned: A Heuristic Inquiry Into The Experiences Of Catholic Detention Ministry Volunteers, Christopher Tran

Education (PhD) Dissertations

There exists a wide breadth of literature in regards to the harmful and dehumanizing impact of incarceration on human development and dignity. Through my years as a volunteer in detention ministry, I have witnessed firsthand these effects particularly on youths who have been incarcerated. My experiences have led me to wonder then, “Why does the prison system still exist to harm people despite the array of research condemning its practices?” Through this pondering, I critiqued the larger systems at play: the prison-industrial complex, the sociopolitical rhetoric of “tough on crime,” and the overall demonization of this population. As a response …

Parity In Higher Education In Prison Programs: Does It Exist?, Michael Lee Griggs, Vianey Luna

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

The expansion of college-in-prison (CIP) programs, especially in California, where incarcerated college enrollment increased from 11,472 students to over 15,000 in two years, has spotlighted higher education for incarcerated individuals. This increase, supported by legislation that expands funding for CIP programs and allows time off sentences for successful course/degree completion, is further bolstered by the restoration of Federal Pell funding for incarcerated students after a 28-year ban. Despite the acknowledged benefits of CIP programs in reducing recidivism and enhancing post-release outcomes, existing research highlights the need for additional exploration into the quality of CIP programs. Senate Bill 416 further emphasizes …

Assessing The Types Of Juvenile Detention Medical Issues: A Focus On Florida, De’Angelo L. Dean

MUSC Theses and Dissertations

The justice system for young people in the United States has been a source of worry as more people acknowledge the possible adverse outcomes of involvement in the justice system during adolescence. Involvement with law enforcement can lead to various difficulties for young people, such as heightened susceptibility to psychological problems, interruptions in their education, and reduced prospects for achievement in the future. Hence, it is crucial to understand the interplays between the health care for juveniles referred by courts or law enforcement for hospital care to identify opportunities for process and outcome improvements. The interaction between juveniles and the …

Black Youth Males Transitioning From The Juvenile Justice System To Comprehensive School, Andria R. Heaven

Graduate Student Dissertations, Theses, Capstones, and Portfolios

This dissertation explores the barriers faced by Black Youth Males Transitioning from the Juvenile Justice System to Comprehensive School.

The purpose of this study was to provide administrators with a product that can assist staff collaborating with Black male students to seamlessly and successfully transition to a comprehensive school after being released from a secured Department Juvenile Justice facility. The product addresses effective school support for Black male youths who have been detained in the juvenile justice system to re-engage them in such a way to achieve a diploma. This study also investigated school re-entry procedures with formerly incarcerated youth, …

A Neuroscience-Based Curriculum For Addiction Prevention For Fourth-Grade Students, Paola Andrea Benitez

Social Work Theses - Archive

Substance use is one of the main problems affecting adolescents and young adults. While the consumption of alcohol has decreased, the consumption of marijuana has increased rampantly due to youth's positive perception after being legalized in 24 states with no clear message of the many adverse effects this drug causes. Different approaches to prevention have been used throughout the years: scare-led tactics, socio-emotional learning skills, and neuroscience-based curriculums. Since substance use results from the conjunction of different biopsychosocial factors that lead to this relapsing brain disease, the solution should integrate different preventive solutions as well. Public policy, schools, social workers, …

Close To The Pain: Alternative Education And The Unheard Voices Of Young Adults’ Transformative Learning Experiences, Vicki Lynn Lock

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation focuses on amplifying the voices of marginalized students in alternative education, with an emphasis on the positive impact of resilience on their outcomes. The study addresses the challenges these students face, particularly those from BIPOC communities, in navigating educational systems that have historically marginalized them. The purpose of this qualitative research was to explore the experiences of BIPOC students in a Central Valley alternative education program, highlighting how nurturing relationships, resilience, and the fulfillment of basic needs contribute to their academic success and personal growth. Utilizing a framework that incorporates theories of resilience, educational equity, and transformative leadership, …

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 …

Forgotten Population: The Value Of Correctional Education Programs From The Lived Experiences And Perspectives Of Formerly Incarcerated Women In New York State, Cassandra D. Garrett

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

In the United States correctional education programs are part of the federal and state prisons effort to rehabilitate offenders. Prisoners may be rehabilitated by learning skills that can prepare them for reintegration into society post-release. This study explored the value of correctional education programs in assisting formerly incarcerated women in avoiding recidivism in New York state. The qualitative interpretive study used semi-structured interviews of 10 formerly incarcerated women released from a New York state jail or prison during 2017 – 2022. The results of this study suggest that low school attainment is one of the educational risk factors associated with …

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 …