After watching select video clips about the structure of the Bard Prison Initiative (BPI), the effects of mass incarceration, and the purpose of prison, students will analyze and discuss the politics of offering college courses to incarcerated individuals in U.S. prisons.

Since federal funding for prison education programs was eliminated in 1995, BPI is one of a limited number of college degree granting programs available in U.S. prisons.  

Students will:

• Analyze video clips from College Behind Bars;
• Examine key claims, figures, and statistics about incarceration in the U.S.;
• Establish supported arguments and participate in classroom discussions. 

About the authors: Alex Geyelin and Skyla Sale are 8th grade English Language Arts and Social Studies teachers on Oahu, Hawaii.