Inside-Out at the University of North Texas
September 29, 2023
Led by Associate Professor Haley Zettler, the University of North Texas' Inside-Out class provides a distinctive learning opportunity where students work together to learn about the criminal justice system – and each other.
The class is part of the Inside-Out Prison Exchange Program, in which students from UNT attend class with the incarcerated people in the minimum-security prison each week. Led by Haley Zettler ('09 M.S.), associate professor of criminal justice, the UNT students have discovered more about the workings of their future professions and the inside students say they have a new sense of value and purpose.
"It's more than you can expect as an instructor," Zettler says. "For some people, it can really mean a shift in how they see themselves."
Jose, an inside student with a talkative, friendly manner, says he feels sad when he sees the clock ticking down to when the class ends. "It's the highlight of my week," he says. "I'll be honest, I enjoy feeling like a regular person. The system -- they dehumanize you. To me, it's a joy working with people who make me feel good."
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