Serving the Underserved: Formerly Incarcerated Students and Support Services
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.58997/fa1%20Keywords:
formerly incarcerated students, community college, academic learning, sense of belonging, career preparednessAbstract
This study centered on the lived experiences of five community college students who were formerly incarcerated. Through interviews, the students shared their expectations before entering college, resources they found to be most helpful throughout their enrollment, and what they feel could make them more successful. The research focuses on the areas of academic learning, sense of belonging, and career preparedness. Results showed formerly incarcerated students were very independent when applying for college, but some standard procedures such as, applying for in-state residency for instance, are not streamlined. Formerly incarcerated students experienced difficulty using technology and finding the equipment and a quiet space to study. Active learning, connections with faculty and peers of similar interests, and helpful, trained advisors were all credited as adding to the success of formerly incarcerated students. These findings are discussed in relation to adjustments that can be made by community college administrators.
References
Allsop, J., Young, S., Nelson, E., Piatt, J., & Knapp, D. (2020). Examining the benefits associated with implementing an active learning classroom among undergraduate students. International Journal of Teaching and Learning in Higher Education, 32(3), 418-426. https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1299931.pdf
American Association of Community Colleges. (n.d.). History of community colleges. https://www.aacc.nche.edu/research-trends/history-of-community-colleges/
Austin, J., Mohr, G., & Prell, L. (2018, March). Critical mass: What can we do about incarceration rates? Corrections Today, 36-41. https://www.thefreelibrary.com/Critical+mass%3A+What+can+we+do+about+incarceration+rates%3F-a0543466764
Brazzell, D., Crayton, A., Mukamal, D., Solomon, A. & Lindhal, N. (2009). From the classroom to community: Exploring the role of education during incarceration and reentry. The Urban Institute. https://www.urban.org/sites/default/files/publication/30671/411963-From-the-Classroom-to-the-Community.PDF https://doi.org/10.1037/e692852011-001
Brown, M., & Bloom, B. (2018). Women's desistance from crime: A review of theory and the role higher education can play. Sociology Compass, 12(5), 1-11. https://doi.org/10.1111/soc4.12580
Bureau of Justice Statistics. (2021). Recidivism of prisoners released in 24 states in 2008: A 10-year follow-up period (2008-2018). U.S. Department of Justice. https://bjs.ojp.gov/sites/g/files/xyckuh236/files/media/document/rpr24s0810yfup0818_sum.pdf
Cooke, C. (2004). Joblessness and homelessness as precursors of health problems in formerly incarcerated African American men. Journal of Nursing Scholarship, 36(2), 155-160. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1547-5069.2004.04013.x
Congressional Research Service. (2019). Prisoners' eligibility for Pell grants: Issues for Congress. https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED597876.pdf
Couloute, L. (2018, October 30). Getting back on course: Educational exclusion and attainment among formerly incarcerated people. Prison Policy Initiative. https://www.prisonpolicy.org/reports/education.html
Davis, L., & Linton, J. (2021). What corrections officials need to know to partner with colleges to implement college programs in prisons (Report No. TL-A1253-1). RAND Corporation. https://www.rand.org/pubs/tools/TLA1253-1.html
Flatt, C., & Jacobs, R. (2018). The relationship between participation in different types of training programs and gainful employment for formerly incarcerated individuals. Human Resource Development Quarterly, 29(3), 263-286. https://doi.org/10.1002/hrdq.21325
Hammarberg, K., Kirkman, M., de Lacey, S. (2016). Qualitative research methods: When to use them and how to judge them. Human Reproduction. 31(3), 498-501. https://doi.org/10.1093/humrep/dev334
Hope, J. (2018). Address specialized needs of previously incarcerated students. Recruiting & Retaining Adult Learners, 20(10), 1-5. https://doi.org/10.1002/dap.30496
Lagemann, E. (2016). Liberating minds: The case for college in prison. The New Press.
Lewis, N., & Lockwood, B. (2019, December 17). The hidden cost of incarceration. The Marshall Project. https://www.themarshallproject.org/2019/12/17/the-hidden-cost-of-incarceration#:~:text=Prison%20costs%20taxpayers%20%2480%20billion%20a%20year
Miller, B., Mondesir, J., Stater, T., & Schwartz, J. (2014). Returning to school after incarceration: Policy, prisoners, and the classroom. New Directions for Adult and Continuing Education, 2014(144), 69-75. https://doi.org/10.1002/ace.20115
Moore, K., Stuewig, J., & Tangney, J. (2016). The effect of stigma on criminal offenders' functioning: A longitudinal mediational model. Deviant Behavior, 37(2), 196-218. https://doi.org/10.1080/01639625.2014.1004035
Patterson, M. (2018, August 1). Incarcerated adults with low skills: Findings from the 2014 PIAAC prison study [Conference Study]. PIAAC 2018 Conference, Washington DC. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/327321458_Incarcerated_Adults_with_Low_Skills_Findings_from_the_2014_PIAAC_Prison_Study
Potter, J. (2016). Mature adult learners. In D. Hardy Cox & C. Carney Strange (Eds.), Serving diverse students in Canadian higher education (pp. 145-163). McGill-Queen's University Press. https://doi.org/10.1515/9780773599420-011
Privitera, G., & Ahlgrim-Delzell, L. (2018). Research methods for education. Sage Publications.
Rahilly, T., & Buckley, L. (2016). First-generation students. In D. Hardy Cox & C. Carney Strange (Eds.), Serving diverse students in Canadian higher education (pp. 164-187). McGill-Queen's University Press. https://doi.org/10.1515/9780773599420-012
Sheehan, C. (2018). Education and health conditions among the currently incarcerated and the non-incarcerated populations. Population Research and Policy Review, 38(1), 73-93. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11113-018-9496-y
Sinko, R., DeAngelis, T., Alpajora, B., Beker, J., & Kramer, I. (2020). Experience of stigma post incarceration: A qualitative study. The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy, 8(3), 1-16. https://doi.org/10.15453/2168-6408.1610
The Federal Bonding Program. (n.d.). A new path: Breaking down barriers to employment. https://bonds4jobs.com/
United States Department of Education. (2021, July 30). U.S. Department of Education announces it will expand the Second Chance Pell Experiment for the 2022-2023 award year [Press release]. https://www.ed.gov/news/press-releases/us-department-education-announces-it-will-expand-second-chance-pell-experiment-2022-2023-award-year
United States Department of Justice. (2020, September). Prisoners and prisoner re-entry. https://www.justice.gov/archive/fbci/progmenu_reentry.html
United States Department of Labor. (n.d.). Work opportunity tax credit. https://www.dol.gov/agencies/eta/wotc
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Authors who publish with this journal agree to the following terms:
Authors retain copyright and grant the journal right of first publication with the work simultaneously licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License that allows others to share the work with an acknowledgement of the work's authorship and initial publication in this journal.
