UNIVERSITY OF CENTRAL OKLAHOMA College of Liberal Arts School of Criminal Justice Fall 2015

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1 UNIVERSITY OF CENTRAL OKLAHOMA College of Liberal Arts School of Criminal Justice Fall 2015 CRJS 5910 Inside-Out Corrections: Exploring Issues of Crime and Justice Behind The Walls CRN Class Meets: Tuesdays 2:00 pm- 4:45 pm Joseph Harp Correctional Center Professor: Jaime L. Burns, Ph.D. Course Texts: Austin, James and John Irwin. (2001). It s About Time: America s Imprisonment Binge. (3 rd Ed.). Wadsworth: Belmont, CA. (IAT) Currie, Elliott. (1998). Crime and Punishment in America. Henry Holt and Company: New York, NY. (CPA) Jones, S. and Mauer, M. (2013). Race to Incarcerate: A Graphic Retelling. The New Press: New York: NY. (RTI) Zehr, Howard. (2001). Transcending: Reflections of Crime Victims. Good Books: Intercourse, PA. (TR) Course Description: The Inside-Out Prison Exchange Program is an opportunity for a small group of students from the University of Central Oklahoma and a group of residents of the Joseph Harp Correctional Center to exchange ideas and perceptions about crime and justice, the criminal justice system, corrections and imprisonment. It is a chance for all participants to gain a deeper understanding of the criminal justice system through the marriage of theoretical knowledge and practical experience achieved by weekly meetings extended throughout the semester. Course Objectives: To create an environment that will facilitate the honest exchange of ideas in a dialogic format To provide an experiential setting for the students to test and hone their theoretical understanding about various criminal justice and correctional issues To develop the analytical capacities of those involved regarding various perceptions of and perspectives on these issues To provide a vehicle for feedback to those in the program who are incarcerated about their views on crime and justice issues To furnish the residents who are involved an opportunity to explore their own views on these issues in an academic setting, through structured discussion and course materials To assist all involved in further developing their capacities for both written and oral selfexpression To create a connection between those on the outside and those on the inside

2 Format of Meetings: The group will meet every Tuesday afternoon throughout the semester for 2 ½ hours. Most weeks, the meetings will take place at Joseph Harp Correctional Center, where the UCO students and a group of men will gather for class. The meetings at JHCC will consist of a guided dialogue, in both the large group and smaller subgroups, on particular topics each week. During the meetings held separately (during the first, third, and final weeks), everyone will have the opportunity to brief and debrief the process at the beginning and end of the semester. After every class session, each participant will hand in a reflection paper based on that class (you can choose to skip up to three papers during the semester, or do more for extra credit). Grading Policy: Given the interactive nature of this study, 1/3 of the grade will be based on attendance and full participation. This includes attention, listening, AND actively joining in the dialogue, in both large and small groups. The rest of the grade will depend on the quality of the written work submitted: reflection papers (1/3) and final paper (1/3). Attendance & Participation: This special study, most of which will be held at the Joseph Harp Correctional Center is dialogue-based and, therefore, highly interactive. We will be meeting with a group of about residents who are currently at Joseph Harp. Of the 15 weeks that we will meet during the semester, 12 of the meetings will be in Joseph Harp. Given the unique nature of this special study, it is IMPERATIVE that each student attends and fully participates in every session. Since we clarified scheduling issues prior to your signing up for this class, there should be no problems with attendance. If, due to be SERIOUS and VERIFIABLE circumstances, you will be unable to attend one of the sessions, you MUST CONTACT ME IN ADVANCE. Any absence will change the dynamics of the group, as well as disappoint those who will be participating in the program. This is a special program that will take special effort on the part of each of us. Active participation is also key to this process. As a group, we (those inside and out) will be discussing all sorts of issues, some of which may be controversial in nature. We are all- everyone involved- challenged to say what we think, even if it is not a popular point of view. For this experience to be the real educational opportunity that it s meant to be, we each have to take responsibility for the direction and depth of the discussion. As we will be meeting in a rather unfamiliar, atypical sort of setting, we will each have to work on getting comfortable enough to take the risks involved in fully participating in discussions. Also, while listening is vitally important and necessary to this process, sitting back to JUST LISTEN is not acceptable. Everyone must be fully involved for this to work. Needless to say, when we are traveling to the prison, it is ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY to be ON TIME- to meet the group at the time and place as arranged. We will be carpooling on these trips. It is suggested that we ride with different people each time, so that we can interact with and get input from a diverse group of people. Readings: The assigned readings are to be done PRIOR TO THE MEETINGS, according to the attached schedule. The residents participating in the program will be doing the same readings, so it will be expected that everyone will be on the same page, so to speak. Course Schedule: Assignments: August 18- Introductions/ Overview/ Guidelines August 25- Introductions/ Overview/ Group Process

3 September 1- Briefing/ Debriefing Changes/ Problem-Solving/ Observations/ Concerns *Paper #1 Due September 8- Crime, Policy, and Politics IAT- Ch.1 Assessing the Prison Experiment RTI- PP. vii-32 What are Prisons for? CPA- Ch. 1 September 15- Criminological Influences (Personal and General) *Paper #2 Due Why do People Commit Crime? IAT- Ch. 2, 3 Who Gets Punished? RTI- PP CPA- Ch.3 September 22- A Critical Analysis of the Criminal Justice System September 29- Myths and Realities of Prison Life (Preceded by Tour of JHCC) *Paper #3 Due IAT- Ch. 5, 9 RTI- PP CPA-Ch.4 *Paper #4 Due IAT-Ch.6 RTI-PP CPA-Ch.2 October 6- Punishment & Rehabilitation *Paper #5 Due Midpoint Evaluation IAT- Ch.8, 10 Three-Day Journal CPA- Ch.5 October 13- The Needs of Victims and the Results of Victimization October 20- Restorative Justice October 27- SPECIAL PROJECT November 3- SPECIAL PROJECT November 10- SPECIAL PROJECT Reflections *Paper #6 Due Transcending *Paper #7 Due Transcending *Paper #8 Due IAT- Ch. 7 *Paper #9 Due RTI- PP *Paper #10 Due CPA- Conclusion November 17- SPECIAL PROJECT Final Paper Guidelines November 24- Closing Ceremony/ Wrap-Up at the Prison December 1- Debriefing/ FINAL PAPERS DUE FOR INSIDE STUDENTS December 8- Debriefing/ FINAL PAPERS DUE FOR OUTSIDE STUDENTS

4 Reflection Papers: The papers for this course are a particular kind of reflection paper. A paper will be due after each prison visit (you can skip up to three, if desired, or do more for extra credit)- for a total of SEVEN required papers. They are to be typed, double-spaced, at least four pages in length (longer, if desired), and incorporate a minimum of five quotes (with citations) from the week s readings. The papers will call for you to observe, feel, reflect, analyze, and integrate the information in the readings with the prior week s discussion. Please submit two copies of each paper, one of which will be returned to you. The format follows, plus tips for how to write a strong paper. Each paper should include three sections: Section One: Observation Section Two: Analysis and Integration Section Three: Reactions Tip: Be sure to note where each section begins. Section One: Observations Identify three things that you observed during our combined meetings. These observations can include anything that especially stood out for you, such as certain kinds of interactions between people, interesting issues or common themes that emerged (beyond what we were discussing), insights about the dynamics of the group, etc. Explain what was significant to you about each of the observations. Tip: Be sure to include, and explain three observations. Example: During our discussion about power, I noticed that most definitions of power were negative. For example, several students said that power is the ability to control other people. We did not discuss the positive elements of power until much later in the class. Section Two: Analysis and Integration In this section, you are to look at the issues that were discussed in the prior week s class, reflecting on and analyzing the topics that were addressed. Integrate the readings for the week, including at least five relevant quotes (with citations) from those readings. This is probably the most difficult sections to write well. In this section, you are expected to present your own analysis based on the readings and discussion for each class meeting. This section is to be at least three pages long. Tip 1: Prior to writing this section you should reflect on the issues and themes that were discussed during the class meeting. What themes, points, or issues did you find interesting? Jot these down. Tip 2: Since it is difficult to write about several issues well, select one (maybe two) of these issues or themes to write about. Tip 3: Develop your own analysis of the issue or theme you select. What do YOU think about what you read and discussed during class? Tip 4: Use quotations from the readings and examples from class discussion to support your analysis or to highlight the limitations of your analysis.

5 Example: The War on Drugs has contributed to an increase in the number of men and women in prison. During the last decade, tougher drug laws have been introduced in most states. These laws often have a greater impact on men than women. As Dr. Jones states in Her Really Good Book, Women are likely to receive harsher penalties than men for their involvement in similar offenses (HRGB; p.3). This trend is likely to continue for the next decade, and its impact will extend beyond the lives of incarcerated women. As Prof. Pompa writes, incarceration also punishes the families of men and women on the inside (PPB; p.7). Lawmakers should consider how these laws affect those who are incarcerated and the their loved ones. Tip: Try not to do the following: Quote #1: Women are likely to receive harsher penalties than men for their involvement in similar offenses (HRGB; p.3). This quote shows that women in the criminal justice system are treated differently from men. It seems that women and men are treated differently at LARC. This is not necessarily wrong, but notice whose voice and opinion is emphasized when the quote comes first: not yours. Use this assignment to showcase YOUR analysis. You ve done the work, read the books, and listened in class. Now give YOUR analysis of all this. Make sure you can back your analysis up with something. Use quotations and examples to support YOUR analysis or to highlight the limitations of your analysis. Section Three: Reactions In this section, you should write about your emotional reaction (how you felt) after class. Try to describe in as much detail as possible how class made you feel. For example, don t just say that class made you feel sad. Tell the reader what made you feel sad, how long were you sad, what does sadness feel like, did others notice, when did it stop, etc. It may be difficult for some of us to explore these feelings. Writing can be a useful way to examine feelings that we might otherwise ignore. Remember, you will not be penalized for honesty. Final Tip: Value the time you spend on each assignment. I ve graded A LOT of papers and can tell when you are not giving your full effort. Your time, and mine, is too valuable to waste. Final Paper A final integrative paper will be due at the end of the semester, when we will meet to debrief the semester. The paper will be at least 8 pages long, typed, double-spaced, with a minimum of 10 relevant quotes with citations. Guidelines for the paper will be given out two weeks prior to the due date. The final paper is an opportunity for you to pull together the entire experience of the semester, reflect on your own process (and that of the group), and further analyze the issues that were addressed. For Graduate Students There will be several times throughout the semester that something will need to be typed, researched, etc. for the class. It will be your responsibility to meet with the instructor and find out what needs to be done. In other words, you will be acting not only as students in this course but also assistants to the instructor.

6 Transformational Learning: Transformative learning goals (the Central Six ) have been identified as: Discipline Knowledge; Leadership; Problem Solving (Research, Scholarly and Creative Activities); Service Learning and Civic Engagement; Global and Cultural Competencies; and Health and Wellness. This course addresses five of the university s transformative learning goals: Discipline knowledge will be obtained through small and large- group interactions; leadership goals are promoted through dialogue in what it takes to be an effective leader within a prion; problem solving through both creative and research activities; service learning and civic engagement- due to the fact this course takes place within a prison, students are exposed in civic-mindedness; and cultural competency to become aware of various cultural differences. ADA Statement: The University of Central Oklahoma complies with Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act of Students with disabilities who need special accommodations must make their requests by contacting Disability Support Services, at (405) The DSS office is located in the Nigh University Center, Room 309. Students should also notify the instructor of special accommodation needs by the end of the first week of class. UCO Policies: Please refer to: This information includes: a. Academic Integrity Statement b. Uconnect Statement c. ADA Statement d. Incomplete Grade e. Withdrawing from all classes f. Emergency Individual Class Drop or Complete Withdrawal g. Important Dates h. Semester Holidays i. Library Hours j. Weather Related Information k. Emergencies During Finals Statement l. Final Exam Daily Limits m. How to Contact a Faculty Member n. Class Attendance o. Oklahoma State Board of Regents Expectations p. Helpful Numbers q. Course Evaluations Changes in the Course Syllabus: I reserve the right to adjust course requirements, schedule, and syllabus if needed. I will let you know if changes are needed.