Inside-Out
The Inside-Out Capstone provides an opportunity for a small group of students from PSU and a group of residents from Coffee Creek Correctional Facility to exchange perceptions about crime, justice, and how societal structures and culture define crime, justice. We will explore civic and social responsibility and how civic engagement contributes to community strength and self. Crime is often explained as an example of a person’s bad “personal choices.” In this class we will not deny that persons who find themselves in the justice system have ended up there by way of poor personal decisions. We will also explore how social conditions disproportionately predispose certain communities toward life in the justice system and the ways that we can take leadership to respond to these conditions. We will examine the connection between civic engagement and concepts of leadership by marrying theoretical knowledge and practical experiences in weekly meetings extended throughout the term. Students who enroll in this class must be able to pass a criminal background check.
In this Capstone, we will work with the Family Preservation Project. This is a non-profit organization that utilizes a holistic, family-centered approach to assist incarcerated women rehabilitate, form connections with their family and prepare for their lives after incarceration. We will work to support the organizational needs of this organization. Projects will include fund-raising, grant writing, and other program support facilitate connections between children and their incarcerated mother. Students in this class will be required to go to Coffee Creek Correctional Facility.