Instructor Resources

This guide seeks to be a supportive and generative tool for use throughout the phases of teaching, from curriculum development to classroom instruction. It is valuable for instructors who use the book On the Outside: Prisoner Reentry and Reintegration as a primary or complimentary curriculum text in sociology, criminology, criminal justice, public policy, and the wider study of inequality.

Each chapter of the guide corresponds to the chapter number and/or name of On the Outside and includes the following sections:

Concept and Content Areas—Overarching concept and content areas the chapter presents defined by official guidelines from both sociology and criminal justice science associations.

Chapter Outline—Following a one-paragraph chapter summary, there is a detailed outline of the chapter. The first headers correspond in name and order to those in the chapter. Additional sub-headers denote subtopics and key takeaways within the chapter.

Tables and Figures: The number, title, and page number of each table and figure within the chapter (when applicable).

Terminology: Words explained or prevalent within the chapter are listed and defined. Where possible, a term’s definition is gleaned directly from a passage within On the Outside.

Discussion Questions: Example discussion questions are provided that relate to the terminology, stories, and analyses introduced in each chapter. The questions are organized using Bloom’s Taxonomy and may also be used for exams, writing assignments, etc.

These sections seek to support instructors and classrooms in a number of ways. By using the chapter outlines in conjunction with the book, instructors can more effectively comprehend the content of On the Outside and efficiently connect it with topics across classroom learning materials. The additional sections of the guide further support instructors’ development of curriculum. The Concept and Content Areas can be used to identify the ways On the Outside may compliment current curriculum or what types of materials may compliment curriculum developed with On the Outside as a central text. The Discussion Questions may also function as a tool to generate the focus of presentations, in-classroom activities, exams, and connections across chapters and between other curriculum texts. The supplemental PowerPoint slides further provide a resource for instructors from which to build or integrate into curriculum.

Along with these sections, the guide provides a reference list of the focal participants highlighted in On the Outside. Instructors can utilize the reference list to identify where each focal participant is discussed or quoted and determine ways to incorporate the focal participants into curriculum.

We encourage use of this reference list to tie in focal participants into the classroom and curriculum. On the Outside is particularly suited for classroom learning because it utilizes compelling storytelling to illuminate complex circumstances and insights. By weaving the words and experiences of six focal participants across chapters and topics, the book illuminates the complexity of prisoner reentry and reintegration and provides a real-world lens as to the ways social circumstances are interconnected, playing out over time. Students’ learning may be enhanced by understanding and relating to the situations or contexts focal participants confront.