By Nan Feyler
What if the Inside-Out program was taught in law schools throughout the country? What could law students learn in a class with justice involved individuals? What could inside students learn from an engaged and informed dialogue with future attorneys?
A group of formerly incarcerated Inside-Out coaches recently met to discuss these questions as part of Inside-Out’s newest initiative to expand offering classes in law schools. While there are a few law schools which offer Inside-Out courses, our goal is to expand the opportunity by recruiting more law professors to teach any one of a variety of law classes in prisons or jails, including such topics as criminal law, dependency law, housing, constitutional law, and juvenile law.
The coaches were uniformly excited by the potential of what an Inside-Out law class could accomplish. Coaches spoke of the need for attorneys to understand what makes up the whole person they represent, including their history, community, family, trauma, and future potential. By learning alongside justice involved students as equals, law students will develop a more nuanced, complex understanding of the system and the needs of the people who are part of it.
Inside-Out classes in law school will encourage a generation of future lawyers on the importance of equity and fairness, clear communication, and being empathetic. For inside students, law school classes will enhance their knowledge of the legal system that is, for most, confusing and alienating.
The coaches brainstormed what came to mind in hearing the word “law.” They listed words like justice, structure, rules and regulations, protection, and guidance. At the same time, they described the law as unjust, unbalanced, confusing, arbitrary, biased, and self-serving. The coaches agreed that we need to reimagine justice and put the humanity back into the legal system. Teaching Inside-Out in law schools is an opportunity to do just that.
For more information, email us at inside-out.law.schools@temple.edu.
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We have moved!
Twenty-five years ago, at the inception of Inside-Out, we were housed in Temple University’s Criminal Justice Department. Since then, we have lived in at least six different places on Temple’s campus. We are happy to say that we are now back home in the C.J. Department.
Our new address is:
The Inside-Out Center
International HQ of The Inside-Out
Prison Exchange Program®
Criminal Justice Department
513 Gladfelter Hall
Dept. of Criminal Justice
1115 Polett Walk
Temple University
Philadelphia, PA 19122
It feels a bit like a homecoming!
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Arizona State University Center for Correctional Solutions to receive the 2022 President's Medal for Social Embeddedness for its Inside-Out Prison Exchange Program, alongside another honored program. Educators from Bridging Success and The Inside-Out Prison Exchange Program, both based at the Watts College of Public Service and Community Solutions, will accept the medal from ASU President Michael Crow at a Dec. 8 ceremony.
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Many American colleges are gearing up for a spike of interest in prison education programs. That's because incarcerated people will be eligible for Pell Grants starting next summer. It'll be the first time in 28 years that students inside can access that federal funding for higher education.
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For four years, Muhlenberg College – about a half an hour from Easton, Pa. – has been utilizing a program that partners campus-based students with incarcerated students in a Lehigh County correctional facility. The program, coined Inside-Out, creates opportunities for incarcerated students to earn college credit. Now, professors at Lafayette are in discussion to bring the program to College Hill in the future, ideally within the next few years.
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The University of West Florida promotes and celebrates inclusion year-round through sustainable programming, training opportunities, and awareness initiatives. Two university initiatives recognized by HEED (Higher Education Excellence in Diversity) are The Inside-Out Prison Exchange course and the Sexuality and Gender Resource Center.
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Upcoming Trainings
All 2023 trainings are virtual.
Below are the training dates for our 2023 season.
#85: January 9 to January 14 (Virtual)
DEADLINE FOR JANUARY: NOVEMBER 28TH
#86: May 15 to May 20 (Virtual)
#87: June 5 to June 10 (Virtual)
#88: June 19 to June 24 (Virtual)
#89: July 10 to July 15 (Virtual)
#90: July 24 to July 29 (Virtual)
#91: August 7 to August 12 (Virtual)
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- All 2023 trainings will be held virtually.
- Formerly incarcerated coaches were hired and will continue to be a central component of the training experience.
- It may seem somewhat counterintuitive to hold online trainings for an experience that, by its nature, is so hands-on, however, to date we have held 17 virtual trainings and they have been very successful.
- If we determine that any of the trainings can be held in person, we will get the word around immediately.
- Please share the training brochure below with those in your network who may be interested in becoming involved.
- If you are attending a conference in the next year, please consider sharing the information about the Inside-Out trainings with your colleagues and network.
- We have held several trainings that were focused on an individual university's interest in expanding what they can offer to their students. We are more than happy to work with other universities to develop a specialized training that meets your needs.
Please contact us at inside-out.trainings@temple.edu and we will respond to your inquiry in a timely fashion.
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Thanks for reading our newsletter! We look forward to the continued sharing of Inside-Out stories that connect and inspire our community. Are you interested in adding an article or link to a news piece in our next newsletter? Send all suggestions to inside-out.news@temple.edu.
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