NCJ Number
205441
Journal
Corrections Today Volume: 66 Issue: 2 Dated: April 2004 Pages: 92-94
Date Published
April 2004
Length
3 pages
Annotation
This article describes the general and specific features of New Jersey's educational services for inmates.
Abstract
Upon entry, each inmate is provided a comprehensive orientation that encompasses all available academic and vocational programs. During the orientation phase, inmates are individually interviewed by education staff to identify educational preferences and needs. Based on needs, preference, and length of stay, counseling is provided on program selection. All students who enter education programs are administered the Test of Adult Basic Education, and placement is made based on test results. To the greatest extent possible, instruction is individualized; methodologies are almost exclusively diagnostic-prescriptive (individualized teaching, re-teaching, and assessing the students); and individual and group counseling are intensive and ongoing. Specific education programs are the Stock Market Game, moral reconation therapy, television for educational use, drug education, and character education. The Stock Market Game is a 10-week simulation of Wall Street trading, with the education objective being to stimulate and educate in the areas of investment, management of finances and budget by researching stocks, studying financial markets, choosing portfolios, and following companies in the news for the purpose of making decisions on various stocks. Moral reconation therapy is a proven therapeutic method designed to instill discipline, positive self-esteem, accomplishment, and a higher level of moral reasoning through cognitive-behavioral and cognitive-restructuring skills programming. Television for education use programs inmates' television viewing such that designated hours of the day and evening are centrally controlled so that only educationally oriented tapes are broadcast. The drug education program provides useful drug/alcohol information to offenders within a structured, staff-monitored venue. Character education is implemented by using the Raoul Wallenberg Committee of the U.S. Study of Heroes curriculum. The program's goal is to promote positive character traits among offenders.