NCJ Number
219517
Journal
Journal of Correctional Education Volume: 58 Issue: 2 Dated: June 2007 Pages: 108-128
Date Published
June 2007
Length
21 pages
Annotation
This case study explores a controversial case of Israeli English-language teachers teaching Palestinian inmates imprisoned around Israel for involvement in terrorist activities against Israel.
Abstract
Results indicated that although teachers expressed fear and curiosity upon first entering the prison environment, teachers did not express fear of their terrorist-inmate students. Instead, teachers reported feeling anger toward their students along with professional neutrality and sympathy. All but one teacher thought that education would help change the Palestinian inmates for the better. These views are consistent with the research literature that has found education to be a powerful aid in “forming and transforming” character. Future research should focus on evaluating the educational programming provided to Palestinian terrorist inmates in terms of its effectiveness for bringing about significant personal reform. Research involved a literature review of prison education and its perceived impact on both prisoners in general and on prisoners involved in terrorist activities. Following the literature review a group of eight female Jewish English-language teachers working for the Open University in Israel were recruited for the case study using “intensity sampling,” which relies on “information-rich cases” that address the research question under examination. Teacher participants completed informal, lightly structured interviews regarding their perceptions of terrorist inmates, their perceptions of the value of education for these inmates, and the reasons they chose to assist terrorist inmates with their academic studies. It is important to note that the terrorist inmates involved in the education process were convicted of terrorist crimes against Israeli soldiers and citizens. Thus, the Israeli teachers were part of the targeted group. Central to the analysis was the question of how education impacted support for, and involvement in, terrorist activities. Data were thematically analyzed and grouped according to category. References