Poster #141 - Beyond Reading: Growth, Reflection, and Positive Programming at Solano State Prison

• In Event: Poster Session II (posters 80 – 155)

Abstract

The Prison Education Book Club is a bi-monthly program at Folsom State Prison and Solano State Prison in California. This presentation focuses on the Solano State Prison Book Club and its partnership between Sacramento State faculty, the Solano prison librarian, and Sacramento State student interns. The program gives incarcerated participants structured opportunities to read, reflect, and engage in meaningful group discussions.
For each meeting, participants receive assigned books and prepared analytical questions. They then take part in facilitated conversations that encourage critical thinking, self-expression, and personal growth. The book club also supports student learning, especially for criminal justice students at California State University, Sacramento, who serve as interns and facilitators. Through this experience, students gain a deeper understanding of prison education, justice-impacted individuals, and reentry challenges.
The program also addresses barriers to reading access by fundraising, securing grants, and distributing books so participants can read the same text and fully participate. Early reflections from interns and participants suggest that the book club fosters empathy, community, hope, and rehabilitation. Overall, programs like the Solano Book Club show how reading and discussion can support education, identity growth, and long-term reentry potential.

Authors

• Olivia Alexis Fernandez, California State University, Sacramento

• Nicole Fox, California State University, Sacramento