The University of Wyoming’s Symposium and Wyoming Pathways from Prison program are hosting the Transformative Education in Prison and Beyond conference at the UW Conference Center in Hilton Garden Inn this Friday and Saturday.

The two-day event will investigate solutions of providing higher education in prisons and advancing it throughout the nation. Activities start with check-in at 8 a.m. on Friday and end at 8:30 p.m., and Saturday will start check-in at 9 a.m. and end at 5 p.m.

Currently prison correction programs focus on providing learning experiences for inmates to acquire job skills and sometimes a GED if they did not earn a high school diploma. This is done in hopes of giving inmates a better chance to re-enter society after being released. Alec Muthig, co-coordinator of the Wyoming Pathways from Prison (WPFP), said that is only half of the solution.

“The other half is to self reflect and to understand your place in society, that you’re part of a community in society,” he said. “I think that’s what transformative education, higher education, does really well.”

Inmates’ coursework is similar to what students are already doing by working toward a degree at the University, Muthig said, in that they are preparing themselves for high paying jobs and earning their place in society.

The pressing question currently across the nation is whether providing higher education to incarcerated persons is helping them stay out of prison when they are released. Muthig said current inmates in Wyoming prisons enjoy the classes they offer, which include philosophy, literature and writing.

In order for inmates to receive this education, they must keep a good record and stay out of trouble. There is also some evidence to support that receiving this education helps keep them out of trouble.

“Those who have gone through some of our classes and are still incarcerated, they act differently now in the prison,” said Muthig. “They’re willing to help the other prisoners with education, they don’t seem to get in trouble as often. So there’s this anecdotal evidence that even while they’re incarcerated, it’s absolutely helping.”

With the classes at the Wyoming prisons being so popular, there are now waiting lists for prisoners to participate in them.

Institutes nationwide are researching education in prison and many will present their findings at the conference. Keynote speakers Damon Horowitz, also a TED Talks speaker, and Jody Lewin, executive director of the Prison University Project at San Quentin State Prison, will also appear on panels with other guest speakers.

Erin Castro, a guest speaker from the University of Utah and co-founder and co-director for the University of Utah Prison Education Program, will share her findings of the effects that higher education has on inmates.

The University of Wyoming Department of Philosophy and Religious Studies is also co-hosting the event. Primary funding comes from the College of Arts and Sciences in conjunction with other sponsors.

Those interested in the event may register and see the event program at UWyo.edu/gwst/wpfp/symposium/index.html. Questions about the event may be referred to Muthig at amuthig@uwyo.edu.

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