The Inside-Out Prison Exchange Program
Picture a unique classroom where college students like you study alongside students incarcerated in a prison or jail setting. Since its founding in 1997, the Inside-Out Prison Exchange Program has offered a semester-long course that unites campus-based undergraduates with inmates for practical, no-nonsense discussions and shared learning. This isn’t your typical academic classroom—it’s a real-world environment that promotes personal responsibility, critical thinking, and mutual respect.
Now expanded across the U.S. and globally, Inside-Out delivers impactful education that challenges assumptions and fosters understanding through direct experience. Learn more about the history of Inside-Out Programs.
Ready to step into a bold, transformative educational experience that values real-world engagement and personal growth? Inside-Out offers you the chance to learn, connect, and grow in ways that matter.
Inside-Out at UTD
The UTD Inside-Out Prison Exchange® course is an opportunity for a group of students from the University of Texas at Dallas and a group of students from the Collin County Detention Facility to exchange ideas and perceptions about crime, corrections, and the legal system. It is a chance for all participants to gain a deeper understanding of the legal system by combining theoretical knowledge and lived experience.
- The class is offered during each Spring Semester by the UTD Criminology and Criminal Justice Program and is limited to 10-15 UTD students per year.
- Following an initial on-campus meeting period, class is held once per week at the Collin County Detention Facility.
- In addition to three credit hours, students earn an official UTD digital badge upon completion.
UTD Student Eligibility
- All majors and undergraduates welcome
- Good academic standing, with a recommended GPA of 3.0 or higher
- Completion of a course application (Click the apply button)
- Completion of an interview with the course instructor and program head
- Students must have their own transportation to the facility.
- Ability to pass a background check, volunteer application, and any required volunteer training prior to the course start date
Application Process
To be considered for the Spring 2026 Inside-Out course, complete the application.
Priority Application Deadline October 31, 2025
For more information about the Inside-Out Program, contact Dr. Tony Love, Program Head of Criminology and Criminal Justice at tony.love@utdallas.edu.