Date of Conferral

10-11-2024

Degree

Ph.D.

School

Criminal Justice

Advisor

Dearis Hoard

Abstract

Raizal ex-offenders on San Andrés Island, Colombia, encounter significant challenges when reintegrating into their community, often compounded by ineffective prison education programs and the unique sociocultural dynamics of the Raizal community. While previous researchers have identified barriers to successful reintegration, a deeper understanding of the lived experiences of Raizal ex-offenders and the perspectives of community leaders is needed. This phenomenological study, guided by culturally responsive pedagogy and social disorganization theory, was conducted to explore these experiences and perspectives. Through semistructured interviews with 10 Raizal ex-offenders and 10 community leaders, data were collected to examine the effectiveness of current prison education programs and the impact of overpopulation and cultural erosion on the reintegration process. Thematic coding of the data revealed key themes: (a) inadequate prison education, (b) lack of cultural relevance in educational content, (c) consideration of returning to crime, and (d) broader socioeconomic challenges such as overpopulation and government corruption. Findings demonstrate existing prison education programs fail to meet the cultural needs of Raizal inmates, contributing to high recidivism rates and reintegration difficulties. The findings from this study can lead to positive social change by informing policymakers and practitioners of the critical need for culturally responsive prison education programs and helping in the development of reforms to support successful reintegration, thereby contributing to positive social change.

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