Inside-Out as Precipice: Our Experiences with TedX

• In Event: The Inside-Out Prison Exchange Program

Abstract

The “Inside-Out” program was established in Philadelphia in 1997 with the goal of bringing college students and incarcerated people together to study issues of crime and justice within the context of a prison classroom. By bringing these individuals together, the “Inside-Out” program aims to break down stereotypes, prevent recidivism, and lend an experiential learning experience to both college students and incarcerated people that could allow both groups to better understand the intricacies of the criminal justice system. The program has spread to numerous state university and prison systems in Ohio and is a very active program in the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction and with cooperative universities. In this presentation, we discuss our experiences bringing Inside-Out to a different venue, TedX. The 2017 Ohio State University TedX theme, Precipice, feature students, faculty, staff, and alumni as speakers and performers who will inspire and challenge our concepts of science, technology, history, and life. In an interview format, we talk to "Inside and Outside" students about their first class, crossing the precipice that separates Insiders and Outsiders. The Ohio Reformatory for Women is allowing two “Inside" women to travel to campus to participate along with two "Outside" students.

Authors

• Brenda Chaney, Ohio State University

• Angela Bryant, The Ohio State University-Newark