Growing Pains

Abstract

We describe the process of developing a “Think Tank,” or discussion and outreach group for individuals who successfully completed the inside–out Prison Exchange classes offered at a Level 2 correctional facility in Detroit, Michigan in 2008. We employ the concept of “collective efficacy” and members’ own accounts of their experiences to describe the Theory Group’s evolution: (a) formation and initial growth, (b) public outreach, and (c) workshops, trainings, and future activities. We document the complicated dynamics of working with prison officials and make suggestions for those seeking to continue the inside–out dynamic beyond the classroom.