Pedagogies & Praxis: Curriculum and Implementation for a Youth College Jail Program

Session Submission Type: Complete Thematic Panel

Abstract/Description

This panel examines the pedagogical approaches and curriculum design employed in a youth college jail program, focusing on the strategies and challenges associated with implementing a higher education initiative within a correctional setting. Through a partnership with the City University of New York (CUNY) and Administration of Children’s Services (ACS) the program is designed to provide incarcerated youth with access to college-level courses, aimed at fostering academic development, critical thinking, and personal growth. Drawing from a variety of educational theories as well as transformative and experiential learning, the curriculum is tailored to meet the unique needs of incarcerated youth. Through instructor and administrator reflections, this panel discusses student engagement, academic achievement, and behavioral change, as well as the challenges faced by educators and program administrators. Finally, this panel offers insights into the complexities of curriculum development and delivery within the juvenile justice system and contributes to the broader discourse on educational equity and prison reform.

Sub Unit

• Area VII. Non-Criminal Justice Responses to Crime & Delinquency / 63. University-Prison Educational Initiatives

Individual Presentations

• Thinking Creatively: Bringing College Course to a Youth Detention Facility - Lainey E. Collins, NYC Administration for Children’s Services

• Teaching and Working with the Students (and Staff) - Debanjan Roychoudhury, Baruch College, CUNY

• Teaching in the Belly of the Beast: Teaching College Criminal Justice Courses in Juvenile Detention Facilities - Nicole McKenna, John Jay College of Criminal Justice

• The Work of the Combat Intellectual Behind Prison Walls: Strategies and Praxis from a Youth Detention Facility - Nicholas Rodrigo, The Graduate Center, City University of New York

Chair

• Calvin John Smiley, Hunter College-City University of New York