Doing Time and College: An Examination of Carceral Influences on Experiences in Postsecondary Correctional Education

Abstract

Imprisonment pains often accompany confinement to correctional institutions and can be manifested through controlled interactions that are an ingrained part of these contexts. Less is known about how related discomforts and deprivations might specifically impact participation in postsecondary correctional education. This paper will shed light on possible ways that encounters between incarcerated college students, other prisoners, prison educators and corrections officers can influence their access to and quality of higher education received. It is based on qualitative data collected from interviews with 34 formerly incarcerated individuals who were past and present members of a higher education program post-release. This research has important policy implications given that individuals who earn college credits during incarceration are more likely to secure gainful employment and avoid crime post-incarceration. Particularly, it can be used to guide the development of carceral college programs that account for educational challenges that typically emanate from prison sub cultural influences.