Redefining Possible: Re-Visioning the Prison-to-College Pipeline

Abstract

This article identifies college as the logical space for the articulation of civil rights through the complete integration of students with incarceration histories into the intellectual and social fabric of the institution. Academic institutions provide a fertile ground where possibilities for personal and social change are realized, networks are opened, knowledge is contributed and developed, and giving back is enabled. Using interview and focus group data collected from The Gifts They Bring, a participatory action research (PAR) project conducted with and for college students with incarceration histories, I analyze experiences of personal transformation through higher education, identifying the theme of possibility. I conclude with recommendations for creating a more inclusive environment in institutions of higher education for people who have been incarcerated and want to make a positive change in their lives.

Notes

^*Both Henry and Manny were interview participants whose interviews appear in a documentary film about college after prison (Rubenstein & Robins, 2012) and have consented to use their real names.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Alexis Halkovic

Alexis Halkovic is a doctoral candidate at the Graduate Center, CUNY. She has a strong interest in the ways people resist structural injustice and is committed to the use of participatory research methods as a way to develop research products that resist oppression.