Navigating Rehabilitation: Prison Programming From Those Who Lived It

• In Event: Reimagining Prison Through Education and Expression

Abstract

The passage of California Proposition 36 suggests an impending rise in incarceration rates in the state. This shift makes research on prison programming that much more imperative. While several studies provide evaluations of prison and reentry programs, few examine the perceptions of incarcerated individuals on their experiences with programming. To fill this gap, this research will qualitatively explore formerly incarcerated individuals's perceptions of prison programming through in-depth interviews. Semi-structured interviews will query the impact of mental and physical health, Covid-19, support systems, barriers to access, and other factors on program participation. Based on inductive and deductive coding, anticipated themes will focus on barriers, successes, and experiences individuals had with programming both while they were incarcerated and once they reentered their communities. A discussion of these findings will be provided, including limitations, future directions for research, and policy implications.

Author

• Haylie Prochnow, California State University, Long Beach