Mary T. Kellner         Teacher Education Center

Brooke Wollner

Biography

Brooke Wollner is a graduate student in the Human Development area of the Educational Psychology department at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. During her undergraduate career Brooke studied female prisoners of the Federal Bureau of Prisons. She presented her research on male versus female prison experience, child rearing and visitation rights, and familial dynamics within the female prison population at the American Society of Criminology Conference in 2014.

As a McNair Scholar (2014-2015 cohort), she studied Northern Ireland while doing research that examined the relationship between oral history interviews with terrorists and the efforts of a society to maintain peace, justice, and understanding. Her research specifically focused on the Northern Ireland Troubles, the conflict between the Irish Republican Army (IRA) and Ulster Volunteer Force (UVF), as well as the ethics of data collection and distribution.

Research

Brooke is interested in restorative justice in relation to Forgiveness Therapy and Forgiveness Education in the prison system. Her research focuses on exploring the relationship between historical trauma and crime by examining characteristics of incarcerated individuals’ trauma occurring throughout the life span. Brooke is currently working with Dr. Robert Enright, founder of the International Forgiveness Institute and leader in the field of moral development and forgiveness education.

Publications

Enright, R., Erzar, T., Gambaro, M., Komoski, M., O’Boyle, J., Reed, G., Song, J., Teslik, M., Wollner, B., Yao, Z., Yu, L. (2016). Proposing Forgiveness Therapy for those in Prison: An Intervention Strategy for Reducing Anger and Promoting Psychological Health. Journal of Forensic Psychology,01(04). doi:10.4172/2475-319x.1000116

Yu, L., Gambaro, M., Komoski, M., Song, J., Song, M., Teslik, M., Wollner, B., Enright, R. (2018). The Silent Injustices for Men in Maximum Security Prison and the Need for Forgiveness Therapy: Two Case Studies. Journal of Forensic Psychology, 3: 137. Doi: 10.4172/2475-319X.1000137

 

Presentations

  • Yu, L., Gambaro, M., Komoski, M. C., Song, M. J., Song, M., Wollner, B., & Enright, R. D. (November 2019). Examining the Efficacy of Forgiveness Therapy within a Maximum-Security Prison: Reducing Anger and Promoting Psychological Health. Paper presentation at the 45th annual Association for Moral Education (AME) Conference, Seattle, Washington, U.S.
  • Wollner, B.L., (2018, November). Examining injustices prior to crime: a pilot study in a men’s maximum security prison Poster presented at the annual Association for Moral Education Conference, Barcelona, Spain.
  • Wollner, B.L., (2017, November). Injustice prior to a maximum security prison sentence. Poster presented at the annual Association for Moral Education Conference, St. Louis, Missouri.
  • Reed, G. & Wollner, B.L., (2017, September). Forgiveness therapy. Orally presented as part of the Professional Growth Series at Ottawa University, Brookfield, Wisconsin.
  • Wollner, B.L., (2015, April). Peace, justice, and understanding in northern ireland. Poster presented at the annual Celebration of Scholarship, University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh, Oshkosh, Wisconsin.
  • Wollner, B.L., & Helmers, M. (2015, April). Peace, justice, and understanding in northern ireland. Poster presented at the annual Posters in the Rotunda Showcase, Madison, Wisconsin.
  • Wollner, B.L., (2014, November). Women of the federal bureau of prisons. Orally presented at the annual American Society of Criminology Conference, San Francisco, California.
  • Wollner, B.L., (2014, October). Peace, justice, and understanding in northern ireland. Poster presented at the annual National McNair Conference, Delevan, Wisconsin.
  • Wollner, B.L., (2014, September). Peace, justice, and understanding in northern ireland. Orally presented at the annual McNair Scholars Showcase, University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh, Oshkosh, Wisconsin.
  • Wollner, B.L., (2014, September). Peace, justice and understanding in  northern ireland. Poster presented at the annual McNair Scholars Showcase, University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh, Oshkosh, Wisconsin