Returning to Class: Suggestions for Practicing Inclusivity with Formerly Incarcerated Students

• In Event: Advancing Justice Through Transformative DEI Educational and Pedagogical Practices in Criminal Justice

Abstract

The reality of mass incarceration in the United States means that there exists a regular population of people who are reintegrated into society each year. Although many of these “returning citizens” have earned their university degrees or learned a skilled trade while incarcerated, others seek their undergraduate degrees post-release. These students, particularly those who have been removed from greater society for several years, often face adversity as they attempt to adjust to new technologies, norms, and surroundings that they are unaccustomed to. These struggles come in tandem with those that traditional students face, ranging from choosing a major to practicing time-management.

This article will discuss ways to create an inclusive environment for returning citizen students in traditional and virtual classroom settings. Building on Harm and Bell’s (2021) article, this piece will also discuss ways to facilitate understanding and open-mindedness among traditional students who may have these individuals as classmates or work with justice-impacted people in their future careers.

Author

• Amny Shuraydi, University of Michigan-Dearborn