Entrepreneurship Education in the Transformation of Incarcerated Individuals: A Review of the Literature and Future Research Directions

• DOI: 10.1177/0306624X20928020
• Author: Michael H. Morris,Jean D. Kabongo,Ashley Wichern,Jessica M. Grosholz
• Date: 01 November 2020
• Published date: 01 November 2020
• Subject Matter: Articles

Original Manuscript

Entrepreneurship

Education in the

Transformation of

Incarcerated

Individuals: A Review

of the Literature and

Future Research

Directions

Jessica M. Grosholz

1

,

Jean D. Kabongo

1

, Michael H. Morris

2

and Ashley Wichern

1

Abstract

This article draws upon the theories of entrepreneurial cognition, planned behavior,

and criminal desistance to understand the role of entrepreneurship education in the

behavioral and cognitive transformation of incarcerated individuals. Specifically, this

article considers how participation in an entrepreneurship education program

should influence entrepreneurial opportunity recognition, cognitive transformation,

and institutional misconduct. It suggests these changes are more likely to influence an

incarcerated person’s entrepreneurial intentions and criminal desistance. The six

propositions presented shed light on how an incarcerated individual’s willingness

to change his or her attitudes and develop an entrepreneurial mind-set influence

his or her behavior in prison and prepares him or her to prosper in a dynamic and

complex world after release. This article argues that the study of one’s

1

University of South Florida Sarasota-Manatee, USA

2

University of Florida, Gainesville, USA

Corresponding Author:

Jessica M. Grosholz, Assistant Professor of Criminology, College of Liberal Arts & Social Sciences,

University of South Florida Sarasota-Manatee, 8350 N. Tamiami Trail, Sarasota, FL 34243, USA.

Email: jgrosholz@sar.usf.edu

International Journal of

Offender Therapy and

Comparative Criminology

2020, Vol. 64(15) 1551–1570

!The Author(s) 2020

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DOI: 10.1177/0306624X20928020

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transformation while incarcerated through the discovery, evaluation, and exploita-

tion of opportunities is likely to advance empirical and theoretical perspectives of the

fields of entrepreneurship. The examination of how incarcerated persons deal with

fear of failure, risk aversion, and identity, in particular, presents great opportunities

for future research.

Keywords

entrepreneurship education, entrepreneurial skills, criminality, inmate transforma-

tion, entrepreneurial intention

Introduction

Prison-based education programs, both academic and vocational, are a major

part of the rehabilitation process. Research shows that these programs equip

those incarcerated with the tools to successfully reenter society (Brewster &

Sharp, 2002; Gordon & Weldon, 2003; Vacca, 2004; Wilson et al., 2000).

There is an expectation that the skills developed through prison education pro-

grams will prepare those incarcerated to f‌ind a career and positively contribute

to society post-release (Costelloe & Langelid, 2011). These skills should also

have a positive impact on their institutional behavior (Pompoco et al., 2017).

Although many institutions offer academic and vocational opportunities

(Gorgol & Sponsler, 2011; Greenberg et al., 2007), research has found that

just over a quarter of those incarcerated participate in educational programs

while serving time in state prison (Turner, 2018). Despite this relatively low

enrollment, the evidence suggests that prison education, particularly postsecon-

dary programs, are benef‌icial for incarcerated persons (Aos & Drake, 2013;

Batiuk et al., 2005; Chappell, 2004; Davis et al., 2013; Duwe & Clark, 2014;

MacKenzie, 2006; Wilson et al., 2000). Scant research, though, has examined the

effect of postsecondary, academic entrepreneurship education on behavior in

and out of prison. Yet, there is considerable evidence that entrepreneurship

education can play an instrumental role in helping those in adverse circum-

stances engage in attitudinal and behavioral change that enhances their econom-

ic and social well-being (e.g., Morris et al., 2018).

Integrating concepts from the theories of entrepreneurial cognition, planned

behavior, and criminal desistance, this article presents six propositions that f‌ill a

gap in current research by seeking to understand how participation in a college-

level prison entrepreneurship program affects changes in entrepreneurial oppor-

tunity recognition, cognitive transformation, and institutional conduct. Aligning

with the work of Szifris et al. (2018), this article explores how entrepreneurship

education enables those incarcerated to engage in positive identity

1552 International Journal of Offender Therapy and Comparative Criminology 64(15)