This update was written by Elizabeth Weiss, Ph.D., Senior Lecturer in the Department of Psychology at The Ohio State University Newark and OPEEP faculty member. P4H is a learning community at the Southeastern Correctional Institution (SCI) in Lancaster, OH.
As the Philosophy for Humans (P4H) Learning Community at SCI wrapped up 2025, we celebrated both our completion of the book “A Wall is Just a Wall” and our overall learning over the course of the year. In the final three chapters of “A Wall is Just a Wall,” we learned about the history of furloughs and how furlough policy relates to racism and correctional policy more broadly. A furlough is a brief period of time when incarcerated people are released, with the expectation that they will return at the end of the furlough. In the early 1900’s, holiday furloughs were relatively common in the South, and incarcerated men who were granted holiday leave or furlough overwhelmingly returned to prison when their time was up. Furloughs helped incarcerated people maintain connections with the world outside of prison, which was important for maintaining morale and keeping families together. The prospect of time at home was also an effective tool for maintaining order within the prison walls.
As political winds changed course and the philosophy of corrections began to focus more on punishment and less on rehabilitation, furloughs became less common and more fraught with political tensions. A few notable cases of crimes committed while out on furlough caused a dramatic restriction on release programs during the latter part of the 20th century. Controversy around furloughs was a major focus of the 1988 Bush/Dukakis presidential race, with Dukakis portrayed as an out-of-touch politician running “revolving door prisons.” Since then, prison systems have sharply curtailed access to furloughs.
In our discussions of furlough and the politics surrounding temporary release, we spoke about the role of connections outside of prison and how important relationships across walls are. P4H members reflected on relationships that have sustained them both inside and outside of prison, and on the possibilities that furlough would provide. We also examined the goals of incarceration from the perspective of lawmakers and imagined what might be necessary to support goals of successful return to society outside prison walls.
At the end of December, P4H members shared a celebration of another year of sharing community with one another. We enjoyed music, food, games, and conversation, and expressed gratitude for the incredible community that is P4H.
As we move into 2026, we are excited to begin reading Angela Davis’s book “Are Prisons Obsolete?” We’ll be exploring potential alternatives to the current carceral system and dreaming of a system that could change lives and focus on growth rather than punishment. We will soon be distributing a new zine that features fresh writing and visual arts contributions from inside and outside authors and creators, and there are other creative projects on the horizon. Here’s to another year of learning in community!