Inside-Out Course

sociology and criminology

Inside-Out Course

Valpo’s Inside-Out Prison Exchange course brings together undergraduates and incarcerated men at Westville Correctional Facility to study crime, justice, and human behavior. The course fosters collaborative learning and challenges students to rethink justice through shared dialogue. It promotes personal growth and positions students as informed voices on reform. A 2020 graduate reflected on gaining insight into racial disparities and systemic issues in the U.S. justice system:

“During the Inside-Out Prison Exchange, I learned about the racial disparities and violations of human rights which occur in the American criminal justice system. The criminological perspective helped me to understand how this system came to be and helped me explore potential options for beginning to alleviate some of these issues.”

— 2020 Graduate