Enhancing Diversity and Inclusion Through Students’ Transformative Experiences in Prison

Reflecting on the Delivery of the Inside-Out Prison Exchange Program During the COVID-19 Pandemic

“…Similarly, other IOPEP related research has shown that when inside students learn with outside students, they increase their ability to engage with educational material (Allred et al, 2013;Hilinski-Rosick and Blackmer, 2014;Hyatt, 2009;Werts, 2013). They are therefore better able to better negotiate their own values and beliefs against the backdrop of growing punitive sentiment in society (Conti, et al, 2013;Hilinski-Rosick and Blackmer, 2014;Martinovic and Liddell, 2019;Antojado et al, 2023).…”

“…On the other hand, outside students provide inside students with theoretical knowledge and perspectives that help inside students better understand the system they are fi rst-hand experiencing (see Martinovic and Liddell, 2020;Martinovic et al, 2018). Martinovic and Liddell (2019) found that students graduating from the IOPEP engendered more compassion and empathy towards those entangled within the criminal justice system. IOPEP facilitated students' change in perception, quashing their preconceived ideas about prisoner stereotypes.…”

“…Stereotyping prisoners into one homogenous group can have deleterious eff ects on the eff orts of the penal estate in carrying out its rehabilitative objectives, particularly when these stereotypes impinge on a practitioner's ability to carry out its duties professionally without bias (Martinovic et al, 2018). As outside students graduate and enter the criminal justice fi eld professionally, they need to understand the complexity of criminal justice involvement, not just from knowledge derived through academic theorizing, but also from the lived experiences of potential future clients (see Martinovic and Liddell, 2019).…”

“…Outside students usually come into the prison espousing preconceived ideas about prisoners, often in an unpropitious light. Inside students enter the program space expecting to be embarrassed or stereotyped (Martinovic and Liddell, 2019). The process of undoing the prejudices both outside and inside students espoused as a consequence of negative public discourses about prisoners takes time, usually a few sessions.…”