“Books Behind Bars” is program which pairs undergraduates from the University of Virginia with inmates at the Beaumont Juvenile Correctional Centerto read classic Russian literature. Prison staff notice a marked change in behavior among inmates who take the class, and researchers have documented similar improvements in decision-making, social skill, and civic engagement among prisoners and undergrads who participate in the class.
Our guest is Andy Kaufman, fellow in the Department of Slavic Languages and Literatures and a Research Affiliate in the Curry School of Education, and creator of the course.