Description
This book examines how education, self-awareness, and community engagement transform the lives of individuals after incarceration. It applies Identity Restoration Theory (IRT) to Caribbean criminal justice systems, demonstrating how rehabilitation can integrate moral renewal, educational empowerment, and cultural recovery.
Drawing on research with Raizal ex-offenders and community leaders, this book illustrates how culturally grounded education restores dignity, moral agency, and social belonging. It explores how learning strengthens cognitive, emotional, and social capacities, enabling individuals to reintegrate successfully into society.
Through case studies, including ex-offenders of San Andres Islands, Colombia, and comparisons with global models, the book presents practical strategies for rehabilitation, community programs, and policy reform. It shows how identity, justice, and education converge to strengthen individuals and communities, offering a restorative vision that advances sustainable social transformation in Caribbean societies and comparable postcolonial contexts.
This book is ideal for scholars, policymakers, and practitioners in criminal justice and correctional education who seek evidence-based strategies for rehabilitation, moral reconstruction, and social reintegration.
Part I. Foundations of Identity and Justice.- Chapter 1. The Roots of Marginalization and Cultural Erosion.- Chapter 2. Prison Education and the Loss of Identity.- Chapter 3. Identity Restoration Theory: Foundations, Principles, and Core Constructs.- Chapter 4. Case Study: San Andrés Prison The Birthplace of Identity Restoration Theory and the Journey from Confinement to Cultural Awakening.- Part II. The Cognitive and Psychological Dimensions of Learning.- Chapter 5. Understanding Learning Disabilities, Literacy Challenges, and Educational Needs in Incarcerated Populations.- Chapter 6. Impact of Overpopulation and Socio-Economic Factors on Crime and Recidivism.- Chapter 7. Learning, Transformation, and the Reclaiming of Self.- Part III. Pathways to Reintegration and Policy Reform.- Chapter 8. Global Models of Educational Transformation.- Chapter 9. Developing Social Skills and Problem-Solving Abilities in Offenders.- Chapter 10. Community-Based Programs: Bridging the Gap Between Prison and Society.- Chapter 11. Identity Restoration Beyond Confinement: Reclaiming Culture in Overpopulated Communities.
Dr. Sigifredo Castell Britton is a professor and researcher with over thirty years of experience in higher education. He holds a Ph.D. in Criminal Justice and a Master s in Forensic Psychology from Walden University, as well as a Master s in Educational Psychology from Universidad Internacional de La Rioja (UNIR) in Spain. His scholarly work focuses on criminal justice reform, recidivism, education, and identity restoration. He is the founder and Director of the International Movement of Positive Action in Criminal Justice Transformation (IMPACT) and serves as a professor at the University of the People. Originally from Old Providence Islands and the Cayman Islands, Dr. Britton continues to advance research that bridges education, justice, and social reintegration.
