PRISON/JAIL PROGRAMS 1

Macomb correctional facility

In November of 2014, a group of men who were incarcerated at the Macomb Correctional Facility launched the institution's first peer-led, restorative justice class. The curriculum was created through a partnership with the Inside/Out Prison Exchange Program (University of Michigan) Over the course of several weeks, the participants learn about the values, philosophy, and practice of restorative justice, and make connections to their personal experiences of causing harm, experiencing harm, and exploring processes of accountability. The class concludes with a graduation ceremony where participants discuss their experience in the class and present a final project. Due to high interest in RJ, the class has a waiting list every session. To date, the program has graduated 500 participants.

Many of the participants report using restorative justice practices to resolve conflicts within the prison. In their own words, restorative justice teaches one "to symbolically make restitution by giving back and educating the general population and public on this powerful method to resolve conflict and, in effect, to spread the RJ way of life".

Challenges

Facilitators and students of the RJ class at Macomb face both administrative and interpersonal challenges. One of the most consequential challenges is the lack of trust the prison administration has in the program itself as well as the facilitators. As a result, resources, such as physical space to hold the class were sometimes withheld under the false pretense that there was no availability. Additionally, facilitators report that participants were transferred to other correctional facilities without being allowed to complete their participation in the course.

This meant that a number of students were abruptly pulled from the class, while those who were participating in MDOCsponsored programs (of which this program is not) would be allowed to complete their class obligations prior to being transferred. Given the relational nature of RJ, these disruptions impact the class dynamics and the sustainability of relationships between participants.

Facilitators report that in general, they have few issues facilitating the class. As the course is voluntary, most participants come to the class genuinely curious about RJ. However, because the parole process incentivizes individuals for participating in life skills and continuing education classes, some individuals come to the class in order to "check a box" and increase their chances of a successful outcome at their parole hearing. However, the group has developed creative strategies for engaging participants who are initially inclined to resist the rigorous demands of the class.

Ultimately, the culture of distrust, suspicion, and power that pervades prisons infects efforts like the RJ class at Macomb in ways that have threatened its viability. However, facilitators and class participants have been able to organize their group to effectively advocate for the maintenance and sustainability of the class. What the individuals at the Macomb Correctional Facility have demonstrated is how even within the gross confines of prison, designed to dehumanize and disempower, communities can reclaim their power to facilitate meaningful accountability that is rooted in a recognition of our shared humanity.