Inside-Out Prison Exchange Program
About the program
The School of Criminology and Criminal Justice at Arizona State University (ASU) and the Arizona Department of Corrections, Rehabilitation & Reentry (ADCRR) are pleased to offer students the opportunity to enroll in the Inside-Out Prison Exchange Program. Applications for the Fall 2023 course are now closed.
The Inside-Out Prison Exchange Program is unlike any other class offered at ASU. The class combines ASU students (outside students) with an equal number of incarcerated students (inside students) at an Arizona State Prison Complex facility. Both ASU and incarcerated students have the same syllabus and academic requirements, and students learn about crime and justice together through collaboration and dialogue.
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 over 1,200 trained instructors from nearly every U.S. state and 12 countries reaching over 60,000 students. The Spring 2016 class taught at ASU was the first time the course was taught in the state of Arizona.
To be considered for the course, students are required to fill out an application. Students who make the short list of applicants will then complete a brief interview with the course facilitators, who are responsible for selecting the final roster of students for the course. Class size is very limited.
If you have questions about the Inside-Out Prison Exchange Program, contact Dr. Wright (kevinwright@asu.edu)
View frequently asked questions about the program HERE
Barrett, The Honors College, also offers Inside-Out courses.
Download our Inside-Out Brochure
Watch our Fall 2022 Graduation
Course description
Fall 2023
CRJ 317 Inside-Out Prison Exchange Program (3 credits)
"Motivational Justice"
Instructors: Kevin Wright, PhD; Alexis Klemm, MS
The course meets Thursdays from 3:30-6:30pm (because of transportation time, students should be available between 2:00pm and 8:00pm on class days).
The Inside-Out Prison Exchange Program is a semester-long introduction and application of the concepts around motivational justice. The curriculum in Fall 2023 will include literature and principles from psychology, communication, and criminology that emphasize the importance of motivation, communication, and social relationships to our everyday lives and criminal justice. .
Inside and outside students meet separately on the first and last weeks of class in order to properly orient and debrief the experience. During the semester, inside and outside students will discuss issues, complete reading/writing assignments, and work together to complete a group project.
NOTE: Transportation to and from the prison will be provided by ASU. Students are required to meet at ASU Downtown and will be dropped off at ASU Downtown after class. The security of all students is a priority and care is taken to ensure semi-anonymity (first names only) to prevent outside contact during or following the semester.
Learn more about some of our class final projects:
The Inside-Out Prison Exchange Program at Arizona State University brings together university students and incarcerated individuals to learn about issues of crime and justice over a full semester. The culmination of this community-based learning is an actionable project designed to improve our correctional system.
Fall 2019 - “We Are Inside-Out” Letter Campaign
The Fall 2019 class wanted to ensure that their experiences and the lessons they learned in class were shared by others. The class collaborated on the creation of a letter that outlined everything they learned and how it could benefit the lives of everyone in the community, as well as designed a sticker to support the message. The letter and sticker were then sent nationwide to families, friends, organizations, politicians, celebrities, and media outlets.
View the letter here.
Fall 2018 - Motivational Justice Task Force (MJTF)
The Fall 2018 class believed that by taking a new, collaborative approach to enhancing the prison environment that more would be accomplished to benefit both the population and the staff of the unit. This prompted the development of the Motivational Justice Task Force (MJTF), a collaborative working group consisting of equal numbers of ASU students, staff members, and incarcerated men. The group developed projects that would directly impact the lives of those living and working on the unit, guided by the pillars of motivational justice.
Spring 2016 - Impact of Crime on Victims Class (ICVC)
The Spring 2016 class was able to resurrect a popular program not offered in the prison in years: the Impact of Crime on Victims Class (ICVC). This class is centered around restorative justice and those who choose to participate in the class listen to victims share their stories.
Spring 2016 - “In Today, Out Tomorrow”: Resources for Successful Reentry
The Spring 2016 class believed that a better knowledge of available resources could help individuals stay out of prison. The class put together a website for incarcerated individuals who are soon to be released, complete with resources such as hotlines, employment opportunities, and tools for veterans.
