Donyell Roseboro and Kosta Kyriacopoulos, professors of the Watson College of Education, are participating in a teaching project titled “Justice and Education” for residents of the Marvin E. Roberts transitional facility.

Founded by Frankie Roberts in 2000, all residents of the Marvin E. Roberts Transitional facility have served prison time in either a state or federal prison. Together with the LINC, Roseboro and Kyriacopulos have begun a six week program focusing on educating the residents about the justice system.

“I’ve known Frankie Roberts for several years and we have been trying to figure out a way for the Watson School of Education to help his non-profit. We got together and thought about what courses the residents were into and decided we wanted the resident’s interpretation of justice in their lives,” Roseboro said.

The facility houses 10 individuals providing a structured and supportive environment for men who have been released from incarceration. In collaboration with many other charitable organizations the LINC has transitioned 1300 persons reentering the community deter from crime in New Hanover County.  The rate of repeat offenders that participate in the LINC organization is only 8 percent.

Although the organization primarily serves men residentially, the Justice and Education program’s classes are open to any willing participants. Classes are held at both the Watson School of Education and the M.E. Roberts facility. The Justice and Education program currently has an enrollment of 60 people.

The students’ ages range from the 20 to 54 years old with two women enrolled in the course. The course begins with a simple question, “What is your definition of justice?” Using that as a ground point, each course participant has an array of assignments including discussion components, readings, and blogs. The three best blogs, determined by Roseboro and Kyriacopoulos, are posted online for anyone to read. Kryriacopoulos emphasizes that while they are helping the participants, the participants help the professors even more so.

“We’re seen as doing them a favor, but it is not like that at all. We need to thank them for giving us insight that is not there. What they have to say does have merit, it should be highlighted” Kryriacopoulos said.

The Justice and Education program strives to recognize those who have been written off in society. Kryiacopoulos and Roseboro believe that education comes from all sources, both teachers and students. Each class session goes over the positives and negatives of the justice system in relation to their cases. The classes also focus on success stories in which previously incarcerated individuals achieve their ultimate goals of obtaining a degree or gaining employment.

 

“Part of the large problem is it is so difficult for them to even get a chance in the workforce. They don’t even get a chance to walk through the door,” said Roseboro.

Every year 650,000 inmates are released from prison. Of the 650,000 around two-thirds of them commit a crime again because they are unable to find employment or financial assistance. Although the U.S Department does not keep up with the unemployment rate for former prisoners, some experts say it is upwards of 40 percent to 60 percent unemployed. Programs such as UNCW’s Justice and Education program aim to change those numbers.

“This program makes you realize we spend entirely too much money incarcerating people as opposed to educating people. It’s a long way from prison to a community with some normalcy,” Roseboro said.