I must say, I’m at a bit of a crossroads here. I’m trying to figure out what I want to do in terms of my next book project. Right now, I am finishing up the revisions to Education Behind Bars. I have to turn it into Sunbury Press, my publisher, shortly. Then, I’ll spend a few weeks doing the finishing touches on Practice Electra, my debut novel. All of this should be done by the end of September. This brings me to planning my next project.
Right now, I feel I’m being pulled in several directions. On the one hand, novels are easy. They don’t require a ton of research, and they flow rather well. But novels aren’t socially essential documents. Don’t get me wrong; they have a purpose and can fulfill some needs, but they aren’t life-changing. These days, I’m focused on changing lives and inspiring others. I want to produce something of real meaning, not mere entertainment value.
With this in mind, I’m pondering three primary ideas. They are as follows:
One: a text on the history of correctional education. This appeals to me greatly because no one has done a comprehensive text on the topic before…at least, I don’t think so. Taking on this project would undoubtedly give me and others perspective on where American correctional education came from, its lifeline, the struggles involved, and where it is today. This could allow me and other scholars to appreciate better the struggles and history of prison education – prison educators, too – and even show us what can be done to improve the current landscape of prison education programs. I guess this project could be summed up with a single word: “appreciation.”
Two: a text on notable criminologists, prison educators, and prisoner educators (prisoners who educate prisoners). This interests me, too. Several come to mind, but much research would be needed. I can see this project divided into three parts: Part One is a tribute to prisoners who have gone on to become criminology professors and transform the landscape and research on corrections. Part Two is a tribute to prison educators (staff) who have gone above and beyond in their duties to educate – and facilitate the education – of their incarcerated students. Part Three is a tribute to prisoner educators (prisoners) who have gone on to do fantastic work, both in advocacy and instruction, for their fellow prisoners.
Three: a text examining the significant flaws in American corrections and potential solutions to each problem. However, I’m not precisely a Ph.D. So, my lack of academic credentials could be a problem here. Perhaps I should shelf this project until I complete a few other projects? This way, I could gain more perspective on the issue and finish my degree. What are your thoughts?
Since you – the prison education community – read this blog, I want to hear from you! Let me know what direction you think I should go in. Share some ideas. Who knows, maybe you have an even better project than I’ve thought of. I’d even be open to editing a book that contains submissions from several prison educators and prisoner educators (prisoners who educate). Any idea or support for an idea would be much appreciated.
Published Sep 27, 2011 by Christopher Zoukis, JD, MBA | Last Updated by Christopher Zoukis, JD, MBA on Feb 16, 2024 at 4:26 am
