My name is James, I’m 32 years old and I am from Old Bridge, NJ. My Zodiac sign is Aquarius. I am a carpenter by trade and enjoy building things and taking them apart. During my free time, I like to work out, sit around campfires, or anything outdoors. I have two beautiful daughters. I would like to go back to school, but I’m not sure what for, no one in my family has ever been to college. I really want to show my kids that they can do it too. I also want to bring my construction business down from Jersey and volunteer my time to speak to incarcerated people and law enforcement. I want to “bridge the gap” between these two by sharing my own story and how I’ve been able to break down my negative core beliefs and values. I came to Life Recovery Solutions because my life had become completely unmanageable. I was given the gift of desperation and decided I needed to change. I took the CCU Jail Experience class because I want to be a part of something bigger. I hope that my story might be able to influence someone’s perspective and help change someone’s life. While in class I learned about different social concepts that I can relate to my own life such as: cognitive dissonance, reflexivity, looking glass self, and generalized other. Sociology has taught me a lot, but what stands out the most is that everyone’s perspectives are personalized and different. I hope more incarcerated people can enjoy these classes. I now know my thoughts of furthering my education can be a reality, If I can do this class, I can do college. I believe in myself today!

My name is Kyle I am 21 years old and a senior Intelligence and national security major with a minor in criminology. I will be graduating in May of 2022. I was very excited when I heard this class was going to be offered to students and had sent Doctor Schlosser many emails expressing my interest in her class. I was accepted in on the first day of class. I think that this class is important because it is one of the most real experiences you can get out of a college class on campus, and it has taught all of us many values. The incarcerated students are no different than we are except for the fact that they have made a few mistakes in life, however that should not define who they are for the rest of their lives. Over time people change and that is the message we are trying to spread in this class. This class is also important because we are being educated and are spreading awareness on the way society views incarcerated people and why things need to change.

My name is Bradley, I’m 25 years old, and I am from Laurens, SC. I like to read, fish, and hunt. I am a Gemini, and I have a twin sister. I came to Life Recovery Solutions to help me change the way I live for the better. I took the CCU Jail Experience class to see what college was like and learned that I can really go back to school because I feel like I can do it now. My passion is to help troubled youth and to keep them from going down the path I went down in life.

My name is Kelsey, and I am a senior Sociology major. I took this class because there is no other class offered to us like this. I took it to learn about topics I had never heard about before and to experience something new. My goal in taking this class was to learn about similarities between people that otherwise, would have never met. From the amazing lectures to the one-on-one meetings, I think this class taught me everything I expected and more. If you’re someone who is thinking about participating in this class, I highly recommend. It opens your eyes to things you never would have thought about previously.

My name is Derek, I’m 26 years old, and I am from North Myrtle Beach, SC. I am currently incarcerated at J. Reuben Long Detention Center attending the Jail Diversion and Reentry Program called Life Recovery Solutions. I took this program so that I could change my life. I have four sons, all 10 and under. This program will help me become a better person, dad, and be more active in my community. Some of my hobbies or things I enjoy are building homes, golfing, fishing, camping, swimming, and also teaching my kids things that they need to know in order to be successful. I decided to partake in the class for a few reasons, but the main one, it would have to be to gain insight on how even though were in different situations now, were very alike. Also, to be able to learn about all the things in society that we don’t necessarily think about or notice. Going through this class, my mind was open to a lot more things than I would have guessed I knew about. I learned about social constructs, cognitive schemas, and dissonance, as well as ways to protect my self-esteem. I want to become a successful business owner and understanding society will help me relate to a wider variety of clients and people to employ. I also hope that I can become a more effective parent and raise my kids differently, so they don’t have to experience the things I did.

Hi! I am a sociology major at Coastal Carolina University. I am from New York but currently live in Myrtle Beach with my parents and younger brother. I plan on going into the law enforcement field at some point in the future. I like to keep track of current events and financial markets in my free time. Boring at parties.

I came to Life Recovery Solutions on a mission to get my life back on the right track, and to fight my war with alcoholism and addiction. I took the CCU Jail Experience class because I was interested in learning about the human mind and what better class to take than “sociology?” Plus, I wanted to be a part of something positive for once. Usually, it’s not an option in a jail setting. Plus, we are one of the first classes of our kind and that makes me excited. I love to cook, it’s my passion, so in the future I want to own my own sandwich shop followed into retirement with a bed & breakfast. I have learned a lot from sociology class like scientific method, rationality - which means to act logically = weigh the pros and cons. And how incarcerated people can change prison policy. I analyzed differences and similarities between us and the Coastal Carolina students. We also learned about generalized other, looking-glass self, learned identities and how labels have meaning behind them, and social constructs. I hope to learn more within the next few weeks. I am grateful for this class, and I hope it continues through the years to come to help more inmates feel more like normal people once again. Thank you, Dustin, and Dr. Schlosser.

Hi ! My name is Haley, I am a junior criminology major at Coastal Carolina University. I am originally from New Jersey but moved down here for school. After college I plan to move either back up north or to Charlotte NC to go to grad school and start my career in the criminal justice field. In my free time I like to hang out with my friends or spend time alone watching Netflix with my dog.

My name is John, I’m 24 years old, and I am from Camden, SC. I like to play football and watch sports. I boxed for 8 years and played football for 2. I cane to Life Recovery Solutions because my life had got out of control, and I wanted to get it back on track. I decided to take the CCU Jail Experience class because I have never been able to experience anything like it before and wanted to try something new. I learned that the campus students aren’t really any different then I am. My dream is to become a drug addiction counselor. I plan on staying down here and going to the recovery residence until I get my life on track.

My name is Jamison and I am from North Charleston, South Carolina. I am currently a junior at Coastal Carolina University. My major is Intelligence and Security Studies with a minor in Social Justice. I have enjoyed this class throughout the whole semester and it is probably one of the best classes I have ever taken at CCU. Just getting the chance to hear the experiences and share a classroom with the people who are incarcerated really opened up my eyes. It provided me with an experience that I will never forget and made me feel as though I made some true connections interacting with them.

I would like to start off by saying my name is Chris and I’m 30 years old. I love to skateboard and surf. I also like to play hokey and cook. So, I entered Life Recovery Solutions because I was tired of living a life of crime and using drugs. I wanted a second chance at life and to become a good person and father. I took the CCU Jail Experience class because I never took a college class before and wanted to interact with college students to find out what sociology was. Next, my life goal is to learn how to work on motorcycles and dirt bikes so I can get a job a Redline Powersports in Myrtle Beach. Thank you, Dr. S and Dustin, for this opportunity.

My name is Dalton and I am a Sociology major with a specialization in Criminology. I ran track throughout my entire high school and early college career. Throughout the majority of my life I enjoyed playing video games and being a very introverted person but recently have begun to start to become more outgoing. I work with animals now while also attending school and hope to continue my career in the same position I am in now long into the future. I have learned a lot from this class. One of the greatest takeaways from this is that every single person is just that, a human being, a person. We are all different in our own ways but that does not mean that we have to treat each other differently either. I enjoyed spending time talking with the incarcerated students just because they have a lot of wisdom. There was not a single person I spoke with that did not learn from the mistakes that they have made in the pas

My name is Jeremy, and I am 27 years old. I am currently trying to change my life in the Life Recovery Solutions program. I am housed at J. Reuben Long Detention Center for approximately 10 to 12 months. I chose to come here instead of going back to prison in the hopes od becoming a better person. I enjoy playing sports, playing video games, going to new places and spending time with family and friends. I was given the chance to take Dr. Schlosser’s sociology class and I said yes immediately, jumping at the chance to learn, take a college class and try something new. I have learned about social psychology, , rationality, cognitive dissonance, the looking-glass self, the different types of identities, social constructs, and much more. I would like to thank Dr. Schlosser and Mr. Dustin for giving me the opportunity to take a real college class with real students at Costal Carolina University. I see myself doing great things after the program. I would like to go back to school, get a job I love doing, and start a family. Basically, living a sober, prosocial life.

Hi, my name is Marissa. I am 21 years old and a senior at Coastal Carolina University scheduled to graduate in May of 2022 with my bachelor’s degree in sociology and a minor of criminology. I chose to take this class in hopes of potentially working in a jail in my future career and I thought this class would prepare me for what is to come. Coming into this class I definitely did not know how much I would learn from and enjoy the people I have met through a computer screen. I think that this course can be beneficial to everyone in learning what it’s like for inmates and get a better perspective on life within the walls. I cannot express enough how proud I am of each and every one of my classmates on campus and in J. Rueben Long. Everyone has worked so hard in class and on our final website together.

My name is Daniel, and I am 22 years old. I like to ride horses, play basketball, and bonfires with my girlfriend and family. Gang banging, drugs, not following the rules and laws, and my anger problems in what brought me to the Life Recovery Solutions program. I’m from Robeson County, NC, but I was born in Florence, SC. I’ve lived on my family’s Cherokee Native American reservation from 10 months old until I was 17. I took this class because I took sociology 101 once before and I thought it would be a good experience. I’ve learned about certain types of perceptions and how you see yourself through others called the looking-glass self. I want to get my life back together, get my own house, car, get another good job, and my son back.

HI, I am Celina, and I am a senior at Coastal Carolina University. I am from Maryland but moved to Myrtle Beach three years ago. Taking this class this semester gave me the opportunity to hear other people’s life perspectives in relation to my own while discussing sociological topics.

My name is Lonnie, I’m 27 years old and I grew up in Socastee, SC. Growing up I loved to skateboard and go to the beach and hang out where the water meets the land. I am here at Life Recovery Solutions to gain the tools to go back to my old way of life. The reason I took sociology is because I have never been a veery social person. Since taking the class I have learned why I interact with other people the way I do. I would like to thank the powers that be for allowing me the opportunities that have been given to me.

Casey is a senior Sociology major with a Criminology minor at CCU. I am originally from Massachusetts, but I have wanted to move to the Carolinas since I was a kid. I love the warm weather, the beaches and the people I’ve met. I hope to continue my education at another university in North or South Carolina to become a professor in the future.

My name is Zachary, born and raised in Horry County. I though that taking this class would be fun and very inspiring for others in the future as well to expand my knowledge in criminology and sociology. It has been very intriguing to hear Dr. S explain these subjects in class.

My name is Caitlin, and I am a senior double major in Political Science and Health Communications at Coastal Carolina. I am from Chicago, Illinois, and I am moving back home the moment I graduate. My passion is researching the link between addiction and prison systems in the US to better understand how to adequately help people who use drugs. I hope to make a difference in my career to reduce overdose deaths, which is something very personal to me.

Hi everyone! My name is Danielle, and I am a Senior Sociology major at Coastal Carolina University. I grew up in South Carolina around the Myrtle Beach area. One of the things that I excel at is time management. I am not a procrastinator because last minute things cause me stress and I am not able to produce my best work. In my free time, I enjoy spending time with my family and friends. I took the Jail Experience class because I wanted to get out of my comfort zone and be able to connect with others that are in different situations than me. I tend to be shy at first and sometimes don’t do well with speaking in large groups, however, I’ve been learning to combat my shyness and take small risks with putting myself out there. This class has pushed me to be comfortable in situations that may seem awkward at first, but they tend to work out in the end. I’m really excited to be part of this class and this environment promoting change within social institutions.

Dustin Walters, BS, ADC, CPSS - is the Director of Transitional Care/Peer Mentor Supervisor for the Horry County Jail Diversion and Reentry program called Life Recovery Solutions. Dustin has been working for Life Recovery solutions since June 2018. Dustin started his journey of recovery from SUD in August of 2016. Since that time, Dustin has accomplished many things. He graduated Magna Cum Laude in 2018 from Horry-Georgetown Technical college with an associate degree in Human Services. In 2020 Dustin graduated Magna Cum Laude from Purdue University with a Bachelor of Science in Psychology in Addictions degree. Dustin is currently a student at Walden University where he is enrolled in the clinical social work program working towards his MSW. He is also a Certified Peer Support Specialist and a Certified Alcohol and Drug Counselor. Once facing 53 years in prison, Dustin provides hope for the participants of the Jail Diversion program by showing them that with hard work, dedication, and commitment to a recovery program, a person can change their life, change the lives of others, and help make the world a better place by becoming a prosocial member of society. Dustin has a beautiful wife and two sons that he dedicates his life to and shows up for as the father and husband they deserve.

“I just want everyone to know that we do recover, and we make a difference if we are given the opportunity!” – Dustin Walters

Dr. Jennifer Schlosser, PhD is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Sociology at Coastal Carolina University. Her teaching and research focus on social justice through privileging the voices of people who are incarcerated in order to help create more just programs and policies in prison.

Bio coming soon!