Presenter(s)

Destiny Rivera, Asja Steele

Comments

3:00-4:15, Kennedy Union Ballroom

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Description

Over one million people are incarcerated in the United States, with 62% of those released rearrested within three years. In Ohio alone, nearly one in three individuals returns to state prison within three years of release. Recent studies suggest that educational and vocational programming in correctional institutions can decrease recidivism rates while increasing post-release employment opportunities and wages. Education represents a significant opportunity for meaningful second chances. However, there is limited pedagogical research examining thestructural challenges incarcerated individuals face that either hinder or facilitate reentry into their communities. This qualitative study explores how transformative pedagogy in correctional settings fosters critical awareness of systemic barriers to rehabilitation. Using a phenomenological approach, we analyze reflective essays written by incarcerated students enrolled in educational programs across various correctional institutions in Ohio. By centering student voices, the study highlights the role of transformative learning in empoweringincarcerated individuals to recognize and challenge the social conditions influencing their behavior. Preliminary findings will be discussed, and the study contributes to broader discussions on prison education as a tool for disrupting cycles of deviance and fostering long-term socialchange.

Publication Date

4-23-2025

Project Designation

Independent Research

Primary Advisor

Susybel R. Kallsen

Primary Advisor's Department

Criminal Justice and Security Studies

Keywords

Stander Symposium, College of Arts and Sciences

Institutional Learning Goals

Scholarship; Vocation

Breaking the Cycle Through Transformative Pedagogy: Exploring Reflection, Critical Thinking, and Structural Barriers to Social Deviance

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