Prison college participation was reported to increase institutional cohesion, including among non-participating incarcerated women¶

Claim · All claims
Evidence · 1 study (2 entries) · qualitative r2 · q2
Currency · newest study 2018 · not yet checked against its sources · not reviewed by a person

Subclaims¶

q2 i? Students reported that higher education changed interactions across the facility, benefiting even women not enrolled in college. → Jillian Baranger 2018 q2 i? Students formed study groups, tutored peers, and lent course texts to non-enrolled women, spreading program effects through the institution. → Jillian Baranger 2018 (2)

Evidence¶

Jillian Baranger 2018¶

Jillian Baranger, Danielle Rousseau, Mary Ellen Mastrorilli, James Matesanz. (2018). Doing Time Wisely: The Social and Personal Benefits of Higher Education in Prison. The Prison Journal. https://doi.org/10.1177/0032885518776380

q2 · i? · qualitative · r2

Student interview in the pilot qualitative study on social relationships pre-release. Elizabeth described how participation changed the "whole vibe between everybody", including people not in college.

"“…it changes the whole vibe between everybody. So it was like something that benefited me, as well as people around me too who weren’t in college, because it was something they could actually put their mind to.”"

Jillian Baranger 2018 (2)¶

Jillian Baranger, Danielle Rousseau, Mary Ellen Mastrorilli, James Matesanz. (2018). Doing Time Wisely: The Social and Personal Benefits of Higher Education in Prison. The Prison Journal. https://doi.org/10.1177/0032885518776380

q2 · i? · qualitative · r2

Interview data on institutional cohesion: non-enrolled women borrowed Elizabeth's course books as reading material, indicating effects of the program beyond immediate participants.

"She expressed that many students came to her and asked to borrow her school books just for reading material. She said they would return her books and be “amazed” at the content."

Discussion¶

Related Claims¶

• Participants reported improved communication skills and faculty modeling of positive interpersonal interaction — related
• Formerly incarcerated women students reported improved disciplinary behavior while participating in a prison college program — related
• All surveyed former students strongly agreed that prison college participation positively affected their lives, behavior in prison, and post-release lives — related
• Prison higher education alone was reported as insufficient for post-release employment, with criminal-record and reentry barriers persisting — related