Inside-Out Prison Exchange Program

Breaking Barriers. Building Minds.

The Long Island campus Department of Criminal Justice and the Suffolk County Sheriff's Office Riverhead Correctional Facility are pleased to offer students the opportunity to enroll in the Inside-Out Prison Exchange Program.

The Inside-Out Prison Exchange Program is unlike any other class offered at St. Joseph’s University. The semester-long course meets once per week inside a jail located approximately 25 miles east of our Long Island campus. The class combines St. Joseph’s University students (outside students) with an equal number of incarcerated women (inside students) at the Riverhead Correctional Facility. Both St. Joseph’s University and incarcerated students have the same syllabus and academic requirements, and students learn about crime and justice together through collaboration and dialogue. 

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Inside-Out was founded by Lori Pompa at Temple University with the first class taking place in the Philadelphia Prison System in 1997. The program has since grown to include 565 trained instructors from 40 states and 6 countries reaching over 20,000 students. The spring 2017 class will be the first Inside-Out class taught in Long Island. 

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To be considered for the course, students are required to fill out an application using the application process below. Students who make the short list of applicants will then complete a brief interview with Barbara Morrell, Ph.D. and Gregory Bruno, who are responsible for selecting the final roster of students for the course. Class size is very limited, so if you have questions, please contact Dr. Morrell ([email protected]).

Course Description

The class will engage St. Joseph’s University and Riverhead Correctional Facility students together in a dialogue about justice, while bridging the disciplines of Literature and Criminal Justice as well as the diverse life experiences of the respective student groups. The course will create a cooperative environment where the worth of all individuals is acknowledged and the concerns of dissenting voices can be incorporated.

How to Apply

To be considered for the Inside-Out Prison Exchange Program :

• Complete and submit the application form. (Application deadline is April 17, 2020)
• If selected, attend a 15-minute screening interview
  (We will be interviewing on March 23, 2020  at 3:15 p.m.)
• Direct any questions to Dr. Morrell ([email protected]).

It is strongly recommended that all students enroll in their classes as usual. The selected students can then add the course.