Justice-involved youth have a high risk of reoffending after release, indicating the need for evidence-based reentry programming. This paper presents the results of a two-year post-release non-randomized comparison study. The study examined the impact of enhanced transition programming, delivered through Reentry Intervention and Support for…

The benefits of postsecondary degrees are striking for populations who have experienced incarceration, yet little is understood about how this population succeeds with educational attainment upon release from incarceration. This qualitative collective case study examined to what extent and how six formerly incarcerated individuals who started…

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…

Law enforcement agencies across the country are confronted with the problems associated with substance abuse. Law enforcement personnel receive only cursory training on substance abuse and lack targeted training that addresses the complex problems that are associated with it, such as co-existing mental health issues. This study, conducted on…

Dr. Peter Leone is an internationally renowned researcher and advocate for incarcerated youth. Throughout his almost four decades at the University of Maryland, his expertise and research have influenced lawsuits related to the provision of education and special education services in juvenile corrections and paved the way for changes in policy and…

This article examines the relationship between education and rehabilitation within the prison context. It begins by exploring the concept of rehabilitation, examining if prison rehabilitation is possible or if it is what Pat Carlen describes as a "penal imaginary". Drawing on this idea, it considers how rehabilitation may act as a way of…

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…

Experiential learning is an important component of a criminal justice education. To date, the use of virtual technologies as a form of experiential learning has not been tested. To address this gap, a virtual tour detailing mental illness occurring in prison was provided to undergraduate students in five criminal justice courses taught in two U.S.…

Community literacy and writing scholarship have been central to advancing disciplinary commitments to prison literacy and teaching within prison systems. Yet, within this field, little scholarship has applied prison literacy work to issues encountered by those who are formerly incarcerated. This article responds to that gap and outlines new…

The North Dakota Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation has developed two methods of working with low-literacy students. One is testing for accommodations for GED testing. The other is integrating the STAR literacy program for adult readers.

This study investigates the educational experiences of twelve jailed students in prison in Namibia, with a specific emphasis on identifying the factors necessary for their academic achievement. The study aimed to gain a deeper understanding of the jailed students' perspectives on the impact of education, utilizing audio-recorded interviews. The…

Since the recent expansion of higher education in prison (HEP) programs, correctional systems and universities have been working to optimize these programs to yield maximum impact. Collaborating with individuals with lived experience of incarceration and participation in higher education could provide valuable insights toward improving these…

At a time when higher education in prison (HEP) is growing in popularity and acceptance, a myopic approach threatens the field's potential to develop into a more robust and sustainable enterprise. Blindly accepting HEP as a personal and/or societal good while failing to consider the ethical challenges that individuals engaging in HEP work may face…

Community college professionals actively cultivate social justice within the U.S. system of higher education. We seek to meet the community wherever they and their skills are and provide the opportunities to take their knowledge and credentials to the next level. This can include offering incarcerated-based education. This work can be life…

A widely cited Emory University study found that while 76% of incarcerated Americans return to prison within five years, that rate drops to 55% for those who take high school classes, 30% for those who complete vocational training, and 13.7% for those who complete an associate degree. Community colleges play a key role in ensuring that people…