Nicholls State has concluded its first class for a new program that pairs ten students with ten inmates for one semester to teach both groups about the criminal justice system. Inside Out Program facilitator Kristen Callais says the program is the first of its kind in Louisiana.
“These students start to see themselves and others in a different manner and that transformation is what you will hear every student involved refer to as this life changing process,” said Callais.
The program was done in cooperation with Lafourche Parish Sheriff Craig Webre and the Lafourche Parish Correctional Complex.
Callais says students learned about inmates’ backgrounds and how those backgrounds influenced where they ended up.
“It shows that these circumstances, these cards that they were dealt, while nothing that they earned on their own, is what they attribute their success or lack of success to,” said Callais.
Calais the class wrapped up earlier this month despite pandemic-related challenges with an online group project via webcam and some fun back and forths.
“We (outside students) would complain and they (inside students) would ask us how we were doing and the girls would talk about not being able to get their nails done, couldn’t go to this dance or whatever and the inside students would just get a kick out of it, like y’all want us to feel sorry for y’all? We’re in jail!”
The initial plan was to close the class by having a gathering at Nichols with the inmates, students, the Sherriff, Congressman Garret Graves, and others.
Comments