Education and Transformation: An Argument for College in Prison

Authors

  • Carmen Heider University of Wisconsin Oshkosh
  • Karen Lehman Taycheedah Correctional Institution

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.14288/ce.v10i9.186361

Keywords:

Higher Education in Prison, Prisons, Higher Education, Correctional Education, Prison Education, Reflection, Critical Thinking, Transformation

Abstract

This essay explores the dynamics of what it means to learn inside of a prison by featuring a narrative written by a an individual who has been incarcerated for more than 20 years. The narrative explores the challenges and successes of earning a baccalaureate degree while in prison, including highlights from several courses and the overall significance of the college experience. The essay then features a dialogue between the incarcerated author and a university professor who teaches a course at the prison.  The essay as a whole underscores the value of higher education in prison and the importance of supporting these types of programs.

Author Biography

Carmen Heider, University of Wisconsin Oshkosh

Communication Studies Department, Professor

Downloads

Published

2019-05-01

Issue

Section

Radical Departures: Ruminations on the Purposes of Higher Education in Prison