Letters From Prison: In the Classroom
Letters From Prison: In the Classroom invites university instructors and students to engage directly with the lived experiences of incarcerated people through structured classroom collaborations.
Over the past several years, Adopt an Inmate has informally partnered with university courses in writing, theater, and social sciences, where students have used real letters from incarcerated participants as the basis for creative and academic projects. These collaborations deepen student understanding of incarceration while amplifying the voices of people inside.
We are now formalizing this work into a flexible classroom program that instructors can adapt to their course goals, ranging from reading and reflection assignments to creative collaborations and student-led projects.
Instructors can participate at several levels depending on the time and scope available within their course.
➤ We are currently identifying a small number of pilot classrooms for upcoming semesters. Interested instructors can review participation options below and submit the instructor interest form at the bottom of the page.
Flexible Participation Options
Tier 1 – Classroom Correspondence
Light Classroom Integration
One incarcerated participant corresponds with the entire class through guided prompts and reflection assignments.
Tier 2 – Small Group Exchanges
Moderate Course Integration
Students correspond in small groups with multiple incarcerated participants, allowing broader perspectives and deeper engagement.
Tier 3 – Justice Research & Creative Interpretation
Advanced or Creative Projects
Correspondence combined with deeper academic exploration such as legal analysis, public health research, or creative interpretation like theatrical performance based on real letters.
An Example of Tier 3 Engagement
Creative Collaborations: Theater Students Perform Real Prison Letters
In previous classroom collaborations, theater students performed monologues based on real letters written by incarcerated participants in the Letters From Prison project.
My Momma
The Walls of Jericho
Late One Night
How the Program Began
Adopt an Inmate is formalizing and expanding an educational initiative that has already been used informally by several university instructors across the United States.
These early classroom partnerships demonstrated the powerful impact of bringing lived experience into academic discussions about justice systems.
The program is now being structured so that more instructors and universities can participate
Instructor Interest
We welcome inquiries from instructors interested in incorporating Letters From Prison into their courses.
The program is designed to be flexible and adaptable across disciplines. Instructors may choose to integrate the project as a short assignment, a creative collaboration, or a larger semester project depending on their course goals.
Adopt an Inmate provides the letters, background context, and logistical support needed to facilitate classroom participation.
If you are interested in exploring a collaboration or learning more about how the program might fit within your course, please complete the form below. We are happy to discuss possibilities and answer any questions.
We particularly welcome interest from courses in writing, theater, sociology, criminal justice, art, and related disciplines.
If you would like to explore bringing this program to your course, please complete the Instructor Interest Form. We would be glad to connect and discuss possibilities.
