Brittany LaMarr, a researcher with the Institute for Municipal and Regional Policy’s (IMRP) International Justice Exchange (IJE), is gaining international recognition for her transformative contributions to prison education. Her work with the National Prison Debate League (NPDL) was recently spotlighted in Helsingin Sanomat, the largest newspaper in Finland and the most widely read in the Nordic countries.
LaMarr, who also serves as Assistant Director of the NPDL, has dedicated her career to creating opportunities for incarcerated individuals to engage in higher education and meaningful intellectual exchanges. The NPDL’s mission centers on fostering partnerships that allow incarcerated men and women to participate in structured debates, where a thoughtful exchange of ideas builds self-confidence, communication skills, and pathways to higher education.
“The work promotes human potential and social diplomacy,” says LaMarr. “It provides incarcerated learners with interactive educational opportunities where a thoughtful exchange of ideas builds skills and understanding that transcend prison walls.”
Building International Connections
The IMRP’s International Justice Exchange, which emphasizes human connection, curiosity, and openness, played a key role in expanding LaMarr’s work to an international stage. The foundation for this collaboration was laid in October 2023 when James Bhandary-Alexander, a colleague from Yale Law School, introduced the IMRP team to Finnish prison educator Susanna Fabritius-Haverinen.
Fabritius-Haverinen, who was visiting her son at Yale, joined LaMarr and IMRP Director Andrew Clark for a visit to Connecticut’s Manson Youth Institution. The visit sparked meaningful conversations about prison education in Finland and the United States. These discussions continued at Yale University, where colleagues from both institutions explored shared strategies and challenges in providing educational opportunities for incarcerated individuals.
LaMarr and Fabritius-Haverinen’s collaboration deepened during the summer of 2024, when they reunited at an intensive PhD seminar on incarceration held in Stockholm. Their shared commitment to education led to further discussions in Helsinki and a tour of Jokela Prison.
A Transatlantic Debate
The partnership culminated in a project that brought together incarcerated debaters from Finland’s Jokela Prison and university students from Suffolk University in Boston. LaMarr coordinated the initiative, enlisting Tripp Rebrovic, Director of Debate at the Harvard Debate Council, to coach the Finnish team. Weekly virtual meetings via Teams enabled participants to prepare for a debate on the provocative topic: Should Finland adopt U.S. gun laws?
To bridge the language gap, LaMarr utilized a real-time translation app to facilitate communication during the debate. The app provided subtitles, translating Finnish to English and English to Finnish, ensuring seamless interaction between the Finnish and U.S. participants.
Highlighting Human Potential
The Helsingin Sanomat article, titled An Unusual Debate, captures the essence of this unique collaboration. It highlights how the program not only enhances critical thinking, public speaking, and teamwork skills but also fosters personal growth and opens doors to new opportunities for incarcerated individuals. The article underscores the transformative power of education, diplomacy, and human connection in breaking down barriers and reshaping lives.
“As a formerly incarcerated learner who craved intellectual discourse and educational opportunities, I value the chance for incarcerated students to display their intellectual and creative potential,” says LaMarr. “It’s a powerful demonstration of their capacity as critical thinkers and engineers of ideas.”
This initiative reflects the IMRP’s commitment to innovation and international collaboration in the field of justice policy and education. For LaMarr, it’s a testament to the limitless potential that can emerge when individuals, regardless of their circumstances, are given a platform to learn, grow, and express themselves.
The Helsingin Sanomat full article is available in English in PDF form below: