Speakers
Dean Williams
Parallel Workshops
Honor Units are prison living units that are designed to change the paradigm of ownership and responsibility to be shared collectively among those who reside in them. They align with the Norwegian idea of normalization, which posits that life inside prison should resemble life outside as much as possible. A living environment rooted in humanity results in a heightened sense of community, responsibility, and an incentive for pro-social behavior. Honor units are an opportunity to mirror life outside of prison and better prepare our future neighbors for success post-release. The honor unit policy in Colorado was thoughtfully written by women incarcerated at La Vista Correctional Facility in collaboration with two other groups incarcerated in men’s facilities that have adopted the model. This presentation will call on the experience and insight of the Executive Director of the Department, Dean Williams, alongside women incarcerated at LVCF who will call in from their Honor Unit virtually.
