International Conferences on Higher Education in Prison
About.
The Social Entrepreneurship, Technology, and Business Institute (SETBI), partnering with the University of Southeastern Philippines (USeP), spearheads international conferences with the central goal of mobilizing the energy, talent, training, knowledge, wisdom, expertise, research, and experience related to higher education inside the prison community in order to expand access to quality higher education in prisons/jails and academic reentry support services for currently incarcerated and formerly incarcerated students.
The conference invites and encourages a broad spectrum of proposals from all community members, such as researchers, academic advisors, artists, college/university administrators and faculty, students, community organizers, faith-based groups, formerly incarcerated Persons Deprived of Liberty (PDL), Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) and Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) officials, practitioners and staff of higher education in prison, and reentry service providers.
The Third International Conference on Higher Education Inside Prisons and Jails:
Going Beyond Barriers, Reconnecting, and Rebuilding was held October 9-11, 2024, in Davao City. Dr. Mizell invited Dr. Mneesha Gellman, Associate Professor at Emerson College and Founder of Emerson Prison Initiative, to be the keynote speaker, and because of her interest in expanding the network of people who offer college behind bars, she agreed to present, wanting to support SETBI’s model for its expansion to other regions of the Philippines and to other countries. In her presentation, “Unlocking Learning: The Societal Impact of Education in Prison,” she advocated looking critically about the term “public safety,” its current meaning, and a redefinition that would help create long-lasting public safety in society. A plenary speaker via Zoom, Attorney Sean Addie, Director of Correctional Education, US Department of Education was tapped by Dr. Mizell to speak to the conference on the US government’s initiatives related to carceral education, including the ability to receive a Pell Grant that would help pay for their education. He discussed the benefits of education in its ability to reduce recidivism. The Chairman of the Commission on Higher Education (CHED), Dr. J. Prospero “Popoy” De Vera III, advocated moving forward with what CEBB is doing for PDL. First, he admonished SETBI to document the PDL’s stories to help people recognize the validity of these claims. He proposed incentives to involve the faculty and administrators to build a strong network behind the programs, promising six million pesos allocated from the Philippine government for the training for those faculty members and administrators who would start a College Education Behind Bars program, a proposal well received among the participants.
Graduates of SETBI’s College Education Behind Bars program shared their stories of transformation, life changes, release, and current employment. A former PDL, Ms. Esnaira Sanday, chronicled her experiences in jail and her subsequent enrollment in SETBI’s College Behind Bars program. She argued that anyone could successfully return to society with confidence when given a second chance at higher education. Presenters from different universities in the Philippines showcased their papers, complete with their methodology and the conclusions derived from their findings. From needs assessments that describes the living conditions of the PDL and what they need in order to better return to life outside of prison to the efficacy of programs that were being offered in their respective jails that help provide educational opportunities to the incarcerated, they all demonstrated the importance of research and putting said research into writing in order to convey to the government officials, as well as to the society at large, what is required to help our incarcerated fellow citizens, not only to reenter society, but also to improve their quality of life while they serve their sentence. A plethora of papers strengthened the network and community of people interested in this field. The third conference highlighted collaboration, dialogue, community engagement, and creative expressions related to restoring dignity to and achieving justice for the incarcerated.
Participants visited the CEBB campuses at Davao City Jail and at the Davao Prison and Farm.
The Second International Conference on Inmates’ Transformative Education for Successful Reentry: Rethinking Rehabilitation: Community in Unity, Obstacles, and Realities occurred August 14-15, 2019, highlighting the role of transformative education in reducing recidivism. The keynote speaker, Dr. Emma Hughes, is a Professor in the Criminology Department at California State University, Fresno, author of Education in Prison: Studying through Distance Learning; and founder of Project Rebound, a program for formerly incarcerated students. Secretary Catalino Salandanan Cuy, Chairman of the Philippine Dangerous Drugs Board (represented by Ms. Doris Dorigo), and CHED Chair, Dr. J. Prospero de Vera presented their insights. The conference on unity showed that communities can support access to higher education and employment opportunities for currently incarcerated men and women. Dr. Aland Mizell, SETBI President, and Dr. Danilo B. Pacoy, USeP VP for Research, Development, and Extension, delivered the welcome remarks. The University President Dr. Lourdes C. Generalao, also gave her supportive message to the guests and participants. Other speakers included Atty. Behn Joseph O. Tesiorna, Assistant Regional Director of Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA), faculty of CEBB, and local media. The testimonies of successful former inmates turned students were particularly well received.
Attendees heard NGOs, community leaders, academicians, and criminal justice practitioners as they shared their experiences, recommendations, and findings. Researchers from different parts of the country and abroad as well representatives from the Bureau of Corrections, Bureau of Jail Management and Penology, Dangerous Drug Board, Philippines Drug Enforcement Agency, and City Anti-Drug Abuse Council presented their work; in addition, USeP faculty, students, and other guests gave their papers on the importance of education in the future development of the Criminal Justice System. The conference served as an avenue for the researchers to share their experiences and findings of studies on prison-based education and other related topics such as drug addiction and rehabilitation.
The 1st International Conference on Inmates Transformative Education for Successful Re-Entry was held May 14-15, 2018, in Davao City. The conference with the theme “Hope for Restoration—Today’s Inmate is Tomorrow’s Neighbor,” explored the role of the different stakeholders in prison-based education in reducing recidivism, in addressing social stigmas, and in providing an empowerment platform for inmates to become renewed and functional individuals. Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio and the partnering University of Southeastern Philippines president, Dr. Lourdes Generalao, brought opening remarks. The keynote address was given by Dr. Baz Dreisinger, professor, author of Incarceration Nations: A Journey to Justice in Prisons Around the World, journalist, and founding academic director of John Jay’s Prison-to-College Pipeline program.
Other speakers included the heads of the following institutions: BJMP 11; Davao City Treatment and Rehabilitation Center for Drug Dependents; Commission on Higher Education; Department of Justice; Davao City Prosecution Office; City Anti-Drug Abuse Council; Police Regional Office 11; Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency 11; and Archdiocesan Social Action Center. An executive judge from the Regional Trial Court, a lawyer-faculty of CEBB, and a local media practitioner spoke at the conference. SETBI President Dr. Aland D. Mizell, and Vice President Atty. Susan Cariaga underscored that education is a right which must be afforded to all people and that such education is a shared responsibility.
The event, which highlighted the role of transformative education in reducing recidivism, served as an avenue for the researchers to share research and expertise on prison-based education and other related topics, such as drug addiction and rehabilitation.
