News Flash Home
The original item was published from 4/18/2021 4:48:27 PM to 9/1/2021 12:00:08 AM.

News Flash

* City News Alerts *

Posted on: April 19, 2021

[ARCHIVED] “Books Behind Bars” Program to Launch at Albemarle-Charlottesville Regional Jail

Charlottesville

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 19, 2021

Charlottesville Commonwealth’s Attorney Joe Platania Partners with the University of Virginia and the Albemarle Charlottesville Regional Jail to Launch Innovative Educational and Rehabilitation Program for Inmates


CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA - Joe Platania, Charlottesville’s Commonwealth’s Attorney, is pleased to announce the launch of an innovative academic program at the Albemarle-Charlottesville Regional Jail that will let jail residents find purpose, earn college credit and position themselves for success upon their release and re-entry into our community.

For the past 2 years, the Charlottesville Commonwealth Attorney’s Office has spearheaded bringing the UVA academic course, “Books Behind Bars: Life, Literature, and Leadership,” to the Albemarle-Charlottesville Regional Jail. After many months of hard work and dedicated commitment, this pilot project is set to launch this Fall.

Books Behind Bars will partner UVA undergraduate students with ACRJ inmates in a semester-long class exploring life topics through Russian literature. This unique approach to higher education within a correctional setting will focus on rehabilitation and reentry.

"President Biden has proclaimed April to be Second Chance Month, underscoring the importance of transitioning individuals back into the community after their release from incarceration," said Joe Platania, Charlottesville Commonwealth's Attorney. "Our office firmly believes that effective prosecution recognizes rehabilitation and re-entry as concepts that benefit both returning citizens and the community at large. Books Behind Bars is an innovative approach that helps to promote and further second chances."

"Our office’s partnership with Professor Kaufman at the University of Virginia and Superintendent Martin Kumer at the Regional Jail underscores a groundbreaking and transformative commitment to true criminal justice system reform," added Platania.

History of Books Behind Bars

University of Virginia professor Andrew Kaufman created a community-based literature course in 2009 called Books Behind Bars: Life, Literature, and Leadership that pairs University students with incarcerated youth at a maximum security juvenile correctional center in Beaumont, VA. Inspired by his life’s work studying and teaching Russian literature, language and culture, Kaufman’s goal was for his students to explore personally meaningful questions that range from family to death, from success to moral responsibility, all within the context of Russian literature. He hoped to inspire students on both sides of the prison bars to dig deeper and think more fully than perhaps they ever had about their life’s meaning and purpose. Recently, Ken Bain, international education expert and bestselling author, has featured Books Behind Bars in his new book, Super Courses, which profiles a small handful of classes from around the world that Bain argues are revolutionizing higher-ed teaching in the twenty-first century.

In 2018, the documentary film, Seats at the Table, by Charlottesville director Chris Farina, premiered. It was a first-hand, intimate look at the program, and it showed the transformative power of education and the meaningful change that can occur for both the UVA students and residents. The film captures the power of meaningful conversations and the ability of literature to break down stereotypes and create lasting connections. The film continues to air on PBS throughout 2021 and 2022.

Watch a trailer from Seats at the Table.

Read more about the program in this coverage by The Daily Progress. 

Media Contacts
Joseph Platania
Commonwealth’s Attorney
City of Charlottesville
434-970-3176
platania@charlottesville.gov

SEATS TRAILER (short) from Chris Farina on Vimeo.

Facebook Twitter Email

Other News in * City News Alerts *

City Seal on brown background

Vibrant Community Fund Application Link

Posted on: September 20, 2023
Rivanna Waste logo

DRINKING WATER UPDATE

Posted on: September 12, 2023
Charlottesville Parks and Recreation

Pen Park Fitness Trail Repairs

Posted on: September 5, 2023
Charlottesville Parks and Recreation

Tree Planting Planned for November

Posted on: September 1, 2023
Rivanna Waste logo

FREE LOCAL MULCH AT THE IVY MUC

Posted on: August 29, 2023
washington park pool

Sunday Sundown at Washington Park Pool

Posted on: August 11, 2023
My project (2)

Commissioners and Cans Food Drive

Posted on: August 3, 2023
Logo for Charlottesville Acting on Climate Together

2023 Climate Action Work Plan Posted

Posted on: July 26, 2023
City Hall

City Hall to Reopen July 19, 2023

Posted on: July 18, 2023
tax time

Taxes Due Monday, June 5, 2023

Posted on: May 30, 2023
Green City Logo

Charlottesville DMV Select Services

Posted on: January 4, 2023
City Seal on brown background

Community Resources for Financial Relief

Posted on: November 1, 2022