Reentry: Advancing Social Justice While Forging New College Student Identities in Transitional Places of Incarceration

The mass incarceration of minority men and women in America continues to increase yearly. While there has been a plethora of studies that consistently confirm that educational programs for incarcerated individuals reduces recidivism, few, if any focus on the education of individuals who are at transitional places of incarceration. How does a short intensive college preparatory program at a transitional place of incarceration affect incarcerated men’s perceptions of themselves as potential college students upon release? The findings from this study show a positive shift in students’ attitude and motivation towards attending college and can help inform the development of college preparatory programs at transitional places of incarceration. Â