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BRISTOL, R.I. – Inside a classroom at the Rhode Island Training School, �������츣��һ�� (RWU) students and training school students sit side by side, discussing legal cases and sharing perspectives as peers.

�������츣��һ��’s School of Justice Studies launched the state’s first  this spring. The innovative course originated at Temple University and is recognized nationally and internationally as a model of transformative education. It brings together undergraduate students from the School of Justice Studies and residents of the Rhode Island Training School in a shared learning environment designed to foster dialogue, understanding, and meaningful human connection.

“These courses are structured to break down social and institutional barriers,” said Tricia P. Martland, Professor of Legal Studies and Director of the Legal Studies Program. “It encourages participants to engage with one another not through labels, but as individuals with unique perspectives and experiences.”

The Honorable Michael Forte, Chief Judge of the Rhode Island Family Court, noted that he believes this program will benefit more than individual students, but the community as a whole.

“I trust that the insights gained from the program will not only expand the participants’ understanding of how the justice system works, but also will challenge them to consider how it could work better,” said Forte. 

The three-credit elective, created within the Legal Studies Program, was developed over several years by Martland, Matt Toro, deputy of the Rhode Island Public Defender, and Lori Giarrusso, director of the Mediation Department in the Rhode Island Family Court. Martland, before joining RWU 19 years ago, previously served in the Rhode Island Department of Attorney General’s Juvenile Unit, said the idea grew from decades of conversations about how to better support young people involved in the justice system.

“We started years ago and moved from concept to classroom Spring 2026,” Martland said.

“When I was approached with this opportunity and reviewed the curriculum, I knew it would be of great interest and relevance to our students,” said Heather DosSantos, Ph.D., principal of the Rhode Island Training School. “The coursework increases their understanding of the legal system and explores themes related to justice and equality. This is a rigorous, accelerated, college-level educational experience that helps our high-school students recognize what they’re capable of.”

The course begins on the Bristol campus with 10 selected “outside” students before shifting in late March to the Rhode Island Training School, where they join up to 10 selected “inside” students. The class meets twice a week at the training school for approximately six weeks. RWU students receive academic credit for the semester-long course, while students at the training school earn a certificate of completion and high school credits for the six-week module.

Martland noted that RWU students have previously participated in programs within correctional settings, but this is the first time students from both institutions are enrolled together in the same classroom as academic peers.

The structure of the course was designed intentionally. Students are of similar age to help preserve the dynamic of discussion and shared learning. In addition to legal case analysis, the class features guest speakers, reflection papers, and a shared reading. Before meeting together, students at the training school participate in an orientation session to review the syllabus and expectations of a college-level course. Classroom guidelines apply to all students, including the use of first names only and no contact outside of class.

For Martland, the classroom experience itself is central to the mission.

“The Inside Out class represents a powerful first for Rhode Island,” she said. “By bringing together students from �������츣��һ�� and the Rhode Island Training School as peers in the same classroom, we are leveling the playing field and creating a truly inclusive space for dialogue, understanding, and transformation. Education should build bridges, and this class moves all students beyond theory into meaningful connection.”

The final class session will include a certificate ceremony recognizing students’ completion of the six-week program. Martland said she hopes the initiative will expand in the future, potentially offering transfer credit opportunities to students at the training school.

For students enrolled in the inaugural course, the experience has already left a strong impression.

Grace I., a Criminal Justice and Legal Studies major, said she was drawn to the program after learning more about its discussion-based format.

“What really drew me to the course was that we would be learning not only through lectures but also through interaction and discussions with others,” she said.

After attending the first class at the training school, Grace I. said one unexpected detail caught her attention.

“The Training Center has a farm,” she said. “I thought this was super interesting.”

More significantly, Grace I. said the experience reinforced what she believed going in.

“The inside students are just like us; they are there for the same reason, to learn,” she said. “However, the level of dedication these students have towards their education opened my eyes to how alike we really are.”

Ava M., a double major in Legal Studies and Psychology, enrolled in the course to better understand whether working with juveniles aligns with her long-term career goals.

“I was particularly interested in understanding the unique challenges and opportunities within juvenile settings and how they differ from the adult system,” she said.

After the first class at the training school, Ava M. said she was struck by the responsibility and structure provided to students there.

“It was interesting to see how these opportunities are structured to promote personal growth, accountability, and skill development, ultimately helping prepare them for successful reintegration into society,” she said.

Although the program is still in its early stages, Ava M. said the experience has already influenced her thinking about her future.

“I have begun to consider the possibility that my future career path may involve working with juveniles, as I am already finding this area both meaningful and impactful,” she said.

For the School of Justice Studies, the course reflects a broader commitment to experiential learning and community engagement. By moving discussions of law and justice beyond textbooks and into shared spaces, the program aims to deepen understanding on both sides of the classroom.

“This class is so much more than a class,” Martland said. “The most profound learning is not just found in the coursework, but what we learn from one another in the process and how we grow as people.”