Prison is not a place any college student ever wants to or should be.
Still, students from WVU Potomac State College were there. Nearly 20 students were “locked up” for a morning, part of a biannual field trip under the guidance of Professor Danielle Lessard and her Criminal Justice class.
“I have been taking my Criminal Justice students on field trips to correctional facilities for several years. These trips have become an important part of my Introduction to Corrections course,” Lessard said. “Each semester, I try to provide students with opportunities to see different types of facilities, including county jails, state prisons, and federal correctional facilities. Over the years, I have worked to establish relationships with correctional facilities so that students can experience firsthand what they are learning about in the classroom.”
Lessard said the field trips and exposure to local correctional facilities afford the student the opportunity to learn from others who may be working today in the jobs and careers the students seek tomorrow.
“Many of my Criminal Justice students are interested in careers in law enforcement, corrections, probation and parole, or other areas of the criminal justice system. Some want to become police officers, while others are interested in working in prisons, jails, federal agencies, the courts, or with juvenile populations,” she said. “I also have students who are interested in continuing their education and pursuing careers in law or other criminal justice-related fields.”
Lessard said there is a stark contrast between reading or learning about a prison and seeing how one operates and how the social structure inside the barbed wire and iron bars functions.
“There is a significant difference between learning about the criminal justice system in a textbook and actually seeing it in operation. A prison or jail can be very difficult to fully understand from a classroom lecture alone,” she said. “When students walk through a facility, see the housing units, observe the security procedures, and interact with correctional professionals, the material becomes much more real to them.”
The experience can be life- and vocation-changing. Those who take the tours either decide this is not the line of work to be in, or the student is even more inspired to continue.
“They get to see the responsibilities of correctional staff, the challenges of maintaining safety and security, and the many different roles that exist within a correctional facility,” said Lessard. “My biggest hope is that students leave with a better understanding of what it actually means to work in corrections and what life inside a correctional facility is like.
Students recently toured the Western Correctional Institution structure outside Cresaptown, MD, to become exposed to life behind bars. The field trip is part of a tradition started by Lessard several years ago. She said it is important for students who want to become police officers, attorneys, wardens, and guards to know what life is like for those sentenced to be there.
“I want them to look beyond the stereotypes they may have about prisons and incarcerated individuals. I also want students to recognize that corrections is more than simply ‘locking people up.’ There are security responsibilities, rehabilitation efforts, mental health concerns, educational programs, reentry services, and many other components involved in the correctional system,” she said. “Most importantly, I want students to leave with questions. If the experience causes them to think more deeply about punishment, rehabilitation, public safety, or the role of correctional professionals, then I consider the trip successful.”
Lessard added that she toured a prison when she was still a criminal justice student herself, and the event stuck with her. It also inspired her, so when she became a professor, she continued the tradition with classes.
“That experience has stayed with me throughout my career, and it is one of the reasons I feel so strongly about providing my own students with similar opportunities. I know firsthand how much of an impact an experience like that can have on a Criminal Justice student,” she said. “These tours leave a strong impression on me as well. Even though I have worked in the criminal justice field and have experience with justice-involved populations, every facility is different. Each visit gives me something new to think about and often gives me ideas for conversations and lessons that I can bring back into the classroom. I also enjoy watching my students experience these facilities for the first time. You can often see their reactions change as they move through the facility and begin to understand the realities of incarceration and corrections. Some are surprised by the physical environment, some are interested in the security procedures, and others become particularly interested in the people and programs within the facility. My goal is not simply to teach students information that they can memorize for an exam. I want them to understand the criminal justice system, think critically about it, and be prepared to work within it.”
The morning spent at the prison also made an impression – for better and for worse- on the students.
“I learned from this experience that all prisons are not the same. So far, each prison I have been to was well organized and ran smoothly,” said Ezra Good. “Ultimately, touring WCI Cumberland was a memorable experience that showed me that not all prisons are the same.”
“One of the most interesting things I learned about was the dog program. The program allows incarcerated individuals to work with and care for dogs. I thought this was important because it gives inmates responsibility, patience, and a chance to build positive habits,” said Callen Miller. “The tour changed my understanding of the correctional system. I learned that prison is not only about punishment. It also involves safety, daily routines, staff responsibilities, rehabilitation programs, and preparing people for reentry.”
“It was a really great experience that gave me a lot of insight into how different prisons can be while all having similar daily procedures,” said Ayla Smith. “Every time we go on a tour, it positively influences my feelings about joining corrections.”
The Western Correctional Institution is a maximum-security state prison for men located in Allegany County, MD. It opened in 1996 and has an official capacity of 1,793. WCI is close to two other correctional facilities: the high-tech “hyper max” North Branch Correctional Institution which first opened as an extension of Western, which later was officially separated in 2003, and the Allegany County Detention Center. A third prison, the Federal Correctional Institution, Cumberland, is located nearby.