How Student Recruitment and Selection Can Impact Reentry Outcomes: Lessons from the Michigan Department of Corrections and Jackson College

In 2013, the Vera Institute of Justice launched the Unlocking Potential: Pathways from Prison to Postsecondary Education Project (Pathways), a five-year multi-state demonstration project aiming to increase educational attainment and employment opportunities for incarcerated and formerly incarcerated individuals by supporting an expansion of educational opportunities in prison. Corrections departments in the states of New Jersey, Michigan, and North Carolina were selected to participate in the initiative. Each college-in-prison program—although executed differently and offering varying programs of study—possessed one common theme: to equip incarcerated persons with the tools necessary to end the cycle of incarceration through high-quality postsecondary education. This paper examines approaches to student recruitment the Michigan site took during its implementation phase and suggests potential outcomes for college-in-prison programs to consider when using the “return communities” approach

The Natchez Museum of African American History and Culture

The Natchez Association for the Preservation of African American History and Culture (NAPAC) is a repository of local history that spotlights the life of black citizens from the turn of the century to the modern-day. What makes the NAPAC Museum unique is that it collects history that is only native to Natchez, Mississippi. The rich heritage of the African American culture is interpreted through artifacts and other relics that allow one to focus on what was then and what is now. The purpose of this study is to document the collections, organization, events, and degree of digitization of the museum

Examining Genetically-Informed Etiologic Models of Co-Occurring Posttraumatic Stress Disorder and Recreational Cannabis Use among College Students

The college years encompass a period of increased risk recreational cannabis use (RCU), as well as a time of increased risk for trauma exposure and developing posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Given the high co-occurrence between RCU and PTSD, and the potentially negative consequences of the two (e.g., worse academic outcomes), there is a need to understand the etiologic mechanisms of these commonly co-occurring conditions. Two primary phenotypic models exist: self-medication model (i.e., PTSD to RCU) and the high-risk model (i.e., RCU to PTSD). To date, there are two existing studies longitudinally examining the etiologic models proposed to explain co-occurring RCU and PTSD in a college sample, but they are limited to only investigating the first two years of college. Thus, Aim 1 of this study examined these models of co-occurrence in a large, ongoing longitudinal study of college students (Spit for Science [S4S]; NIAAA-R37 AA011408, PIs Kenneth Kendler & Danielle Dick) throughout the first three years of college. Cannabis use and PTSD have been shown to be moderately heritable in twin studies. Thus, Aim 2 conducted aggregate genome-wide analyses (i.e., genome-wide complex trait analysis [GCTA], polygenic risk scores [PRS]) of RCU and PTSD to examine their molecular heritability, as well as the association of aggregate genetic risk with RCU and PTSD. Given evidence of latent heritability, as well as overlapping latent heritability of lifetime cannabis use and PTSD, examination of molecular genetic risk is also needed. Thus, Aim 3 further examined the self-medication and high-risk models by incorporating PRS for lifetime cannabis use and lifetime PTSD as potential influences of same- and cross-phenotype prediction (e.g., PRS for lifetime cannabis use predicting RCU and PTSD in S4S). To limit genetic heterogeneity, study participants were limited to individuals in S4S with European- (n = 3721) and African- (n = 1469) ancestry based off of their genomic super-population assignment. Aim 1 results supported both the self-medication and high-risk model. Aim 2 results did not provide support for significant molecular heritability of RCU or TRD in individuals with European or African ancestry in S4S likely due to low statistical power. Aim 2 results did provide evidence of same-trait prediction of PRS for lifetime cannabis use predicting non-experimental (i.e., use ≥ 6 times) cannabis use in individuals with European ancestry in S4S. Aim 3 results did not provide support for significant moderation of PRS for lifetime cannabis use or PRS for lifetime PTSD in the self-medication or high-risk models, respectively. However, Aim 3 results did provide evidence of same-trait prediction of non-experimental cannabis use based on PRS for lifetime cannabis use. Given the relatively small sample size, genotypic results should be interpreted with caution. However, as a whole, these findings provide support for the self-medication and high-risk models explaining the development of co-occurring PTSD and cannabis use. Implications of these findings, in light of study limitations, are discussed

A Longitudinal Investigation of Interpersonal Trauma Exposure, Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, and Cannabis Use Phenotypes among College Students

College students have an increased risk for cannabis use, trauma exposure, and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Cannabis use disorder (CUD) and PTSD comorbidity is high, and given the negative consequences of the comorbidity (e.g., poor academic outcomes), there is a need to understand comorbid CUD-PTSD etiology. Two primary etiologic models exist: self-medication (i.e., PTSD à CUD) and high-risk (i.e., CUD à PTSD) hypotheses. This study 1) examined the prevalence and predictors of cannabis use and interpersonal trauma (IPT) exposure; 2) investigated the relationship between cannabis use and IPT; and 3) examined cannabis use, IPT, and PTSD through mediational self-medication and high-risk hypotheses lenses in a large (n = 9,889) longitudinal study of college students. Aim 1 found the prevalence of lifetime problematic (i.e., use ≥ 6 times) and experimental (i.e., use 1-5 times) cannabis use was 28.3% and 17.4%, respectively. Aim 1 results also estimated that the prevalence of lifetime IPT exposure was 35.9%. Aim 2 results supported the self-medication hypothesis, but not the high-risk hypothesis. Overall model fit from Aim 3 was poor. Nonetheless, Aim 3 results did not support the self-medication or high-risk hypotheses. Given the poor model fit of Aim 3, results should be interpreted with caution. However, as a whole, these findings provide preliminary support for the self-medication hypothesis, indicating that those reporting IPT exposure and probable PTSD may be at risk for cannabis use. Implications of these findings, in light of study limitations, are discussed