Group One

Members: Angie Lavergne, Nancy Martinez, Tyler Sharp, Leesha Thacker and Kendra Lisenko

Research Question: How is literacy a protective factor against incarceration and the school-to-prison pipeline?

Findings: Reading does serve as a protective factor.  Students interviewed Dr. Janay Sander, a Ball State faculty member who is an associate professor in the department of educational psychology.  Dr. Janay Sander hosted several reading interventions over a two year time span at the YOC to catch juveniles up in educational skills like literacy and mathmatics.  Results of the reading intervention showed the increased ability to read led to youth partcipating less in criminal activity.