Reflections on Building a Partnership with Corrections - A Resource Guide for College-in-Prison Programs

Oct 15, 2026

Uploaded by Damian

A resource guide focused on building and sustaining partnerships with DOCCS facility staff for college-in-prison programs. It outlines steps to establish shared goals, create communication structures, and clearly define roles and responsibilities through strong, collaborative program proposals. The guide covers operational details such as MOU development, protocols for educational holds, scheduling and movement procedures, and ways to support student-centered participation. Includes supplemental materials like relevant directives and sample forms.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages26

Reading Time1 h 6 min

AccessFree to download

Acknowledgments

Introduction

Purpose of the Publication

SECTION 1

Know Your Partner: DOCCS Facility Staff

SECTION 2

Establishing And Maintaining A Strong Partnership With DOCCS

SECTION 3

Important Operational Details For A Successful College-in-Prison Program

SECTION 4

Building A Student-Centered College-in-Prison Program

Appendix A

Appendix B

Appendix C

Reflections on Building a Partnership with Corrections A RESOURCE GUIDE FOR COLLEGE-IN-PRISON PROGRAMS © 2021 THE JOHN JAY COLLEGE INSTITUTE FOR JUSTICE AND OPPORTUNITY CITY UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK, 524 WEST 59TH STREET, BMW SUITE 603 BMW, NEW YORK, NY 10019 The John Jay College Institute for Justice and Opportunity (the Institute), formerly known as the Prisoner Reentry Institute, is a center of research and action at the John Jay College of Criminal Justice/CUNY. The Institute is committed to providing opportunities for people to live successfully in the community after involvement with the criminal legal system. Capitalizing on our position within a large public university and recognizing the transformational power of education, the Institute focuses much ofour work on increasing access to higher education and career pathways for people with conviction histories. The Institute’s comprehensive and strategic approach includes direct service, research, technical assistance, and policy advocacy. Table of Contents 4 5 Acknowledgments 6 Introduction 9 14 18 SECTION 1 Know Your Partner: DOCCS Facility Staff SECTION 2 Establishing And Maintaining A Strong Partnership With DOCCS SECTION 3 Important Operational Details For A Successful College-in-Prison Program SECTION 4 Building A Student-Centered College-in-Prison Program 10 10 11 12 13 Develop Shared Goals Establish a communication structure Clearly Define Roles and Responsibilities: Creating a Strong, Collaborative Program Proposal Develop shared knowledge of partner institutions’ policies and protocols Develop stakeholder commitment 15 15 15 16 17 Create an MOU between the college provider and facility Develop protocols and procedures specific to educational holds Consider program modules in the design of your college program Planning for scheduling and movement protocols Facility discipline and impact on student participation 21 23 25 Appendix A Relevant DOCCS Directives for Further Learning Appendix B Sample Event Request Form Appendix C NYS DOCCS Central Office Organizational Chart ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS This publication was funded by the New York County District Attorney’s Criminal Justice Investment Initiative (CJII). For more information on CJII [please visit: ](please visit: www.cjii.org)[www.cjii.org](please visit: www.cjii.org). The John Jay College Institute for Justice and Opportunity would like to express our sincere appreciation to the District Attorney’s Office for supporting this work as part of their commitment to expanding access to higher education in and after prison. We would also like to thank the CUNY Institute for State and Local Governance (ISLG), particularly Evan Goldstein and Siobhán Carney, for their thoughtful administration of the CJII on behalf of the District Attorney, and for their partnership in every aspect of our work together on the College-in-Prison Initiative. In producing this resource guide, we invited collaboration from a variety of experts in the field of college-in-prison. We are especially grateful to Kathleen Gerbing, whose career with the Department of Corrections and Community Supervision (DOCCS) spanned nearly 50 years. In her last position, she was the Superintendent of Otisville Correctional Facility, where the Institute’s Prison-to-College Pipeline (P2CP) program operates. Ms. Gerbing received the North American Association Warden of the Year award in 2018 and is an Adjunct Professor at John Jay College of Criminal Justice. We are additionally grateful to Queensboro Correctional Facility Superintendent Dennis Breslin for his review and contribution to this publication. We are deeply grateful to our colleagues from other agencies whose work focuses on increasing the quality of, and access to, college-in-prison and academic reentry supports for students returning to the community. The contributions and expertise of Rachel

FAQs

What is the purpose of this publication for college providers?

The guide provides tools for developing college-in-prison programs that respond to the correctional facility environment, with specific relevance to New York State DOCCS facilities.

How does the guide recommend establishing partnership foundations with DOCCS?

It emphasizes developing shared goals, establishing a communication structure, and clearly defining roles and responsibilities within a collaborative program proposal.

Which operational aspects does the guide address for a successful program?

It covers creating an MOU, protocols for educational holds, planning scheduling and movement, and supporting facility discipline considerations that affect student participation.

Oct 15, 2026

Uploaded by Damian