Prison Education and Reentry Commons^™

Reforming Recidivism: Making Prison Practical Through Help, Katelyn Copperud

The Scholar: St. Mary's Law Review on Race and Social Justice

While Texas has long been recognized as “Tough Texas” when it comes to crime, recent efforts have been made to combat that reputation. Efforts such as offering “good time” credit and more liberal parole standards are used to reduce the Texas prison populations. Although effective in reducing prison populations, do these incentives truly reduce a larger issue of prison overpopulation: recidivism?

In both state and federal prison systems, inmate education is proven to reduce recidivism. Texas’s own, Windham School District, provides a broad spectrum of education to Texas Department of Criminal Justice inmates; from General Education Development (GED) classes to …

“I Never Thought I Could Accomplish Something Like This”: The Success And Struggle Of Teaching College Courses In Jail, Brittnie L. Aiello, Emma Duffy-Comparone

Criminology Faculty Publications

In this article, we discuss the challenges and potential benefits of teaching in the “revolving-door” of the criminal justice system: county jails. Massachusetts jails hold pre-trial offenders as well as those serving sentences of up to 2.5 years. Over four semesters, we have learned that flexibility and creativity are necessary to navigate the challenges this heterogeneous population presents, not the least of which is a class in constant flux. In spite of many challenges of teaching in a jail, the classes we teach give students a recovered or newfound belief in their own self-worth and ability, opportunities for intellectual engagement, …

A Communication Guide For Ex-Offenders, Richard Anthony Contreras

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Incarceration rates and the release rate of ex-offenders into the community are both increasing. Studies have shown, on a consistent basis, that, while incarcerated, ex-offenders experience lower literacy levels than the general population, suffer emotional and mental distress from a harsh prison life, and suffer from the negative effects of public perception. Ex-offender anger abounds. These factors interfere with an inmate’s ability to communicate effectively. Notwithstanding, upon release from custody, how do we help such ex-offenders communicate? Many handbooks exist to help former inmates. However, the vast majority only offer assistance with locating government social services agencies, obtaining documents, and …

0108: Ira Napier Papers, 1945-1946, Marshall University Special Collections

Guides to Manuscript Collections

The Ira E. Napier Papers consists of photo-reproductions of nine letters, two unpublished manuscripts, and two historical accounts. The collection is contained in a single box and are separated into four folders. The first folder, entitled: “Correspondence, July 1945-January 1946,” contains five typed-letters from Napier to his superior officer at the Federal Reformatory at Chillicothe, Ohio, Thomas F. Joyce; John Chapman of Huntington, West Virginia, Mrs. Walter J. Spears; and members of the Tullidge Family of Staunton, Virginia. These letters contain information on Napier’s opinions on the Huntington Police Department, prison reform, and his experiences working with the inmates. Folder …