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Social and Ecological Infrastructure for Recidivism Reduction is a Course

Social and Ecological Infrastructure for Recidivism Reduction

Started Mar 15, 2021

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Full course description

Monday, March 15th, 2021 | 4-5:30 pm (EST)-- Fully Online Workshop

This workshop offers an introduction to emerging research and practice related to ecological sustainability initiatives in prisons or communities that are impacted by incarceration. 

Registration and Scholarships:

Full scholarships are available for educators, corrections professionals, social workers, therapists, mental health professionals, students, those from non-profit or community-based organizations, and anyone working in prisons or communities impacted by incarceration. If you are in one of these categories, use code JUSTICESERIES21 to register at no cost. Contact delsesma@bc.edu with any questions.

No prior experience is required.  Registration is open to anyone interested in understanding or implementing ecological sustainability programs in prisons or communities.

Topic Overview:

There has been a growing interest in policies and practices that promote public safety and reduce recidivism. At the same time, local ecological sustainability initiatives are increasingly common in communities across the United States. In recent decades, corrections departments, community-based organizations, and educational institutions have brought these ecological and criminological fields of research, policy and practice together in new ways. This work takes many forms, from institutional sustainability initiatives to community greening, therapeutic horticulture, food justice, permaculture design, recycling protocols, environmental education and green jobs training. Some practitioners have been at work for over a decade growing within the walls of state prisons, county jails, or youth detention centers. Others are building links from prison gardens to land-based careers on the outside, integrating college credits with agricultural training, or working with families of incarcerated loved ones and communities impacted by incarceration. 

Workshop Overview:

This workshop offers an introduction to emerging research and practice related to ecological sustainability initiatives in prisons or communities that are impacted by incarceration. It explores the research, practice, community, and policy implications of social and ecological infrastructures for recidivism reduction. Overall, the workshop provides an overview of key psychosocial and ecological concepts, opportunities to learn from case studies, and discussion of applications.  It meets for a live virtual session with the workshop instructor on March 15, from 4 to 5:30pm.  Participants then have until April 20 to complete three short online modules, with optional live sessions on March 29 and April 19.  

Additional Opportunities:

This workshop complements the virtual Conference on Social and Ecological Infrastructure for Recidivism Reduction, which is co-convened by Boston College and the Yale School of the Environment. Although the workshop can be taken on its own, participants are encouraged to attend the conference, which takes place March 18 - April 20 (information on time, dates, and registration is available at prisongardenjustice.org).

The workshop also includes two optional sessions to discuss the workshop materials or conference presentations. These live, virtual open-ended sessions will include Q&A with the workshop instructor, and opportunities to engage with other participants.  They meet on the following days:

  • Monday, March 29: 4-5PM EST
  • Monday, April 19: 4-5PM EST

 

Workshop Coordinator:

Matt Delsesto

Matthew DelSesto is Coordinator and Instructor of the Initiative for Community Justice & Engaged Pedagogy and doctoral candidate in Sociology at Boston College. He has worked in prisons and jails for the last ten years, in educational, therapeutic, and vocational training programs. Matthew holds an MA in Theories of Urban Practice from Parsons School of Design and an MA in Sociology from Boston College. He also studied horticultural therapy at The New York Botanical Garden and practiced horticultural therapy at the Horticultural Society of New York. His academic work has been funded by the National Science Foundation, The Hearst Foundations, and the Center for Human Rights and International Justice.