| Description |
This study examined the research question "what are the narratives of formerly incarcerated women who have participated in an alternative model of justice?" Using a qualitative approach, I interviewed six women from The Other Side Academy (TOSA) and documented their personal narratives on what an alternative to incarceration might look and feel like. Additionally, the women were each given a journal to record responses to prompts if they chose to do so. Each woman I interviewed found success from participating in TOSA, and each gave a detailed narrative about what their lives looked like before entering the program. The themes that emerged were Doing Time, Dead at the Door, Each One Teach One, Through the Looking Glass, and lastly, The Other Side. Contrary to the belief that punitive punishment works to rehabilitate someone the stories these women shared with me revealed a different outcome. This study ultimately found that doing time was a waste of time. |
