Sociology Students Go to Prison As a Class Requirement

For the past 18 years, the Inside-Out Prison Exchange Program has been “a staple of social and criminal justice education at over 100 universities,” writes Krysta Amber Loftis of USA Today. Inside-Out arranges classes held at local prisons featuring both incarcerated and non-incarcerated students. The USA Today article focuses in particular on Social Issues through the Prism of Prison, a course offered by the sociology department at Central Michigan University.

“’It’s (13) students from the inside and (13) students from the outside,’ [Professor Justin] Smith said, explaining that the incarcerated men are between the ages of 20 and 65. ‘A lot of this is a reaction to making sure we’re improving education in prisons, but also in higher education institutions. It’s a way to offer CMU students a very diverse setting to learn in (and) a way to learn from a variety of experiences, a variety of ages.’”

Classes are held Tuesday nights in the Central Michigan Correctional Facility. Group discussions are held on topics ranging from racism to collective action. It’s a unique concept, but one that offers hope that some prison settings are seen more as rehabilitation centers than permanent societal quarantine centers.