The Experiences of Formerly Incarcerated Youth in a Re-Entry Program

• In Event: AERA Roundtable Session Friday 8:00 am Four Seasons Ballroom 4
  In Roundtable Session: Engaging the School-Prison Nexus: Social Contexts of School Discipline (Table 11)

Abstract

The experiences that youth have in juvenile court schools impact their academic and social-emotional development. For this mixed methods study, 61 surveys and 13 interviews were conducted with youth at a re-entry program for formerly incarcerated or gang-involved youth. Findings indicate that students describe their learning environment as an unsafe place due to the violence and racial tensions that they are exposed to. Our findings also suggest that the relationships that youth have with staff play a major role in how they are treated.The significance of the study lies in the new insights it offers regarding the experiences of formerly incarcerated youth, by centering their voices.

Authors

• Jessica Leila Carranza, University of Southern California

• Adrian H. Huerta, University of Southern California

• B. Elizabeth Kim, University of California - Los Angeles