NCJ Number
73190
Editor(s)
F Cioffi
Date Published
1980
Length
124 pages
Annotation
A collection of essays, developed as a result of Indiana University's college credit program for inmates, is presented. It constitutes a practical guidebook for those initiating similar programs.
Abstract
All of the essays are chronicles of prison college classroom experiences. Some are specifically intended as advice for those who are about to begin teaching behind bars. Topics include the uniqueness of the prison audience, teaching science fiction. Some of the essays are accounts of prison situations and conditions. One focuses specifically on the difficulties inherent in teaching in the prison setting and the various ways that teachers attempt to handle them. Inamtes' evaluations are included to document the classes' contributions to their lives. In addition, the relationship between the university and the community in general is explored in two essays. A sample grant proposal, course descriptions, and a capsule history of the prison education project are appended to serve as useful models for other administrators and institutions considering implementation of similar programs. A common theme of the essays is that representatives of universities should take an active role in reshaping the relationship of the prison and the university to discourage separation of inmates from the rest of society.