NCJ Number
48175
Date Published
1977
Length
269 pages
Annotation
A COMPREHENSIVE ASSESSMENT OF FIVE CATEGORIES OF INMATE CORRECTIONAL EDUCATION PROGRAMS WAS UNDERTAKEN. THESE CATEGORIES ARE ADULT BASIC, SECONDARY AND GENERAL DEVELOPMENT, POSTSECONDARY, VOCATIONAL, AND SOCIAL.
Abstract
EMPHASIS IS ON MAJOR ISSUES OF PROGRAM FUNDING AND ADMINISTRATION, IMPACT OF THE NATURE OF CORRECTIONAL INSTITUTIONS ON SUCH PROGRAMS, PROGRAM DESIGN, ACCESS TO RESOURCES AND MATERIALS, AND CORRECTIONAL EDUCATION PROGRAM EVALUATION. THE RESEARCH SAMPLE CONSISTED OF 327 INSTITUTIONS IN THE UNITED STATES. DESCRIPTIVE DATA ON THESE INSTITUTIONS WERE COLLECTED, AND QUESTIONNAIRES WERE SENT TO 200 STATE AND FEDERAL ADULT CORRECTIONAL INSTITUTIONS. SITE VISITS WERE UNDERTAKEN AT 20 INSTITUTIONS. FOLLOWUP INTERVIEWS WITH THOSE INSTITUTIONS SENT QUESTIONNAIRES WERE ALSO CONDUCTED. RESULTS SHOW THAT IN GENERAL THE STATE OF CORRECTIONAL EDUCATION PROGRAMS HAS IMPROVED IN RECENT YEARS. THE RURAL LOCATION OF INSTITUTIONS TENDS TO AFFECT BOTH STAFFING PATTERNS AND ACCESS TO RESOURCES. APPROXIMATELY ONE-THIRD OF THE INMATES WHO COULD POTENTIALLY BENEFIT FROM SUCH PROGRAMS ARE ENROLLED. IN GENERAL, ENROLLMENT IN TERMS OF TOTAL PRISON POPULATION, HAS REMAINED UNCHANGED OVER THE PAST 5 YEARS WITH THE EXCEPTION OF POSTSECONDARY EDUCATION PROGRAMS, WHERE ENROLLMENT HAS DOUBLED. THE NUMBER OF EXTERNAL AGENCIES INVOLVED IN PROGRAM ADMINISTRATION PRODUCES SOME DEGREE OF CONFLICT AND CAN DETRACT FROM THE PROGRAM. CONFLICT AMONG ADMINISTRATORS WITHIN THE PRISON DOES NOT HOWEVER APPEAR TO BE A SERIOUS PROBLEM. THERE IS A REAL AND COMPLEX NEED FOR IMPROVED EDUCATIONAL PLANNING, AND FUNDING IS, IN GENERAL, INSUFFICIENT TO PROVIDE ADEQUATE SPACE, STAFF, AND PROGRAMS. WHILE THERE IS AN OBVIOUS CONTRADICTION BETWEEN CUSTODIAL AND TREATMENT FUNCTIONS, THIS APPEARS TO BE LESS IMPORTANT THAN THE LITERATURE SUGGESTS. WHILE PRISON ADMINISTRATORS WERE ALL VERY SUPPORTIVE OF PROGRAMS, THE PRIORITY OF SUCH PROGRAMS TENDS TO BE LESS THAN DESIRABLE OR NECESSARY. SOME HOSTILITY TOWARD PROGRAMS BY SECURITY STAFF WAS FOUND, AND THERE SEEMS TO BE BOTH A LACK OF INCENTIVES AND A DEGREE OF COERCION FOR INMATE ENROLLMENT WHICH DO LITTLE TO ENHANCE INMATE MOTIVATION. THE MULTIPLICITY OF FUNDING SOURCES CREATES PROBLEMS FOR PLANNING, STAFFING, AND CONTINUITY OF PROGRAMS. A VARIETY OF STUDENT SELECTION AND PLACEMENT METHODS IS USED. WHILE COUNSELING IS VIEWED AS ESSENTIAL TO PROGRAMS, A SHORTAGE OF SUPPORTIVE PERSONNEL EXISTS. MOST TEACHERS ARE CERTIFIED, AND A COMBINATION OF TEACHING METHODS IS USED. MOST PROGRAMS HAVE SPECIFIED GOALS AND OBJECTIVES. RESTRICTED EXTERNAL RESOURCE AND MATERIAL ACCESS IS A PROBLEM, PARTICULARLY IN POSTSECONDARY PROGRAMS. INTERNAL RESOURCES ARE GENERALLY CONSIDERED ADEQUATE. A SUBSTANTIAL PROPORTION OF PROGRAMS INCLUDE SOME FORM OF EVALUATION; HOWEVER MORE POSTPROGRAM FOLLOWUP EVALUATION IS NEEDED. RECOMMENDATIONS FOR IMPROVEMENT IN PROGRAMS ARE MADE. RESEARCH INSTRUMENTS, INSTITUTIONS IN THE SAMPLE, AND REFERENCES ARE ALSO INCLUDED. (JAP)