Roundtable: Rehabilitation and Reentry in Comparative Perspective - Institutional Practices, Cultural Norms, and Emerging Technologies in Corrections

Session Submission Type: Roundtable Sessions

Abstract/Description

This roundtable brings together scholars and research fellows from the United States and South Korea to engage in a cross-cultural dialogue on prisoner reentry and rehabilitation. The session will begin with a presentation examining South Korea’s legal frameworks and institutional practices surrounding reentry, highlighting both the strengths and limitations of its current support systems. The presentation discusses how former prisoners’ perspectives, attitudes, and lived experiences evolve post-incarceration in contrast to their time in confinement. Building on this foundation, the roundtable will facilitate a broader discussion among participants with expertise in corrections, focusing on comparative insights into what constitutes effective rehabilitation and successful reentry across diverse cultural and institutional contexts. The conversation will also examine the emerging role of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in correctional decision-making. As AI tools are increasingly applied to areas such as rehabilitation planning, parole evaluations, and risk analysis, they present both promising opportunities and complex ethical challenges. This roundtable aims to foster a forward-looking discussion on the potential benefits and risks of AI integration in corrections and how such technologies may influence global approaches to rehabilitation and reintegration.

Sub Unit

• Area XIV. Roundtables

Individual Presentations

• Reintegrating Ex-Prisoners in Korea: Institutional Responses and Ex-Prisoners’ Voices - Seong-Hoon Park, Korean Institute of Criminology and Justice

Chair

• Jisun Choi, Korean Institute of Criminology and Justice

Discussants

• Donna L. Selman, Illinois State University

• Dawn Beichner-Thomas, Illinois State University

• Mijin Kim, Illinois State University

• Yoori Seong, Korean Institute of Criminology and Justice