PRISON EDUCATION ONE - SCHOOLS BEHIND BARS

• NCJ Number: 62189
• Journal: EDUCATIONAL MAGAZINE Volume: 34 Issue: 6 Dated: (1977) Pages: 3-12
• Author(s): ANON
• Date Published: 1977
• Length: 10 pages
• Corporate Author: Victoria Dept of Education
• Publication Format: Article
• Language: English
• Country: Australia

Annotation

BASED ON INTERVIEWS WITH TEACHERS FROM SEVEN PRISONS IN VICTORIA, AUSTRALIA, THE ARTICLE DESCRIBES PRISON EDUCATION PROGRAMS, RANGING FROM LITERACY TRAINING TO DAILY LIVING SKILLS.

Abstract

THE PROPORTION OF THE POPULATION WHO VOLUNTARILY PARTICIPATE IN EDUCATIONAL ACTIVITIES VARIES AMONG PRISONS. INMATES MAY ATTEND SCHOOL ON A FULL-TIME OR PART-TIME BASIS, BUT MUST ADHERE TO A REGULAR SCHEDULE ONCE THE CHOICE IS MADE. CLASSROOMS ARE USUALLY CRAMPED AND AUSTERE, ALTHOUGH THE SPACE ALLOTTED TO EDUCATION IN NEWER PRISONS AND THE WOMEN'S PRISON IS LARGER AND BETTER EQUIPPED. PRISON TEACHERS FIND THE WORK SATISFYING, BUT EMOTIONALLY TAXING, AND FREQUENTLY MOVE INTO ANOTHER TYPE OF TEACHING AFTER A FEW YEARS. THEY HAVE USUALLY BEEN TRAINED IN PRIMARY EDUCATION BECAUSE PRISONS NEED TEACHERS WITH A WIDE RANGE OF SKILLS. SPECIALISTS ARE RECRUITED FROM THE COMMUNITY OR OTHER SCHOOLS FOR SPECIFIC PROJECTS AND CAN HELP INMATES ESTABLISH LINKS WITH THE OUTSIDE WORLD. STRICT SECURITY MEASURES MUST ALWAYS BE OBSERVED, AND VISITING TEACHERS NEED TO BE WARNED ABOUT PRISONERS' MANIPULATIVE ABILITIES. PRISON EDUCATION PROGRAMS ARE CONSTANTLY CHANGING IN RESPONSE TO STUDENT NEEDS, ATTITUDES OF PRISON AUTHORITIES, AVAILABLE RESOURCES, AND TEACHERS' TALENTS. CERTAIN BASIC COURSES, HOWEVER, ARE ALWAYS OFFERED: FORMAL EDUCATIN, LITERACY TRAINING, SURVIVAL SKILLS (E.G., BUDGETING, SEX EDUCATION, AND FIRST AID), AND VOCATIONAL PROGRAMS. PRISONERS WHO WANT TO UPGRADE THEIR LEVEL OF SCHOOLING ARE USUALLY ENROLLED IN CORRESPONDENCE COURSES AND THEN PLACED IN PRERELEASE PROGRAMS IF POSSIBLE. MANY PRISONERS WHO WOULD BENEFIT FROM LITERACY TRAINING DO NOT SEEK HELP, AND TEACHERS ARE UNDECIDED WHETHER OR NOT THEY SHOULD ACTIVELY RECRUIT STUDENTS. TEACHERS ALSO CONTRIBUTE TO RECREATIONAL ACTIVITIES; POTTERY, YOGA, AND DRAMA GROUPS HAVE BEEN POPULAR, AND TWO INSTITUTIONS HAVE PUBLISHED MAGAZINES. PRISON TEAMS HAVE COMPETED WITH LOCAL GROUPS IN SEVERAL SPORTS. WHEN SECURITY REGULATIONS PERMIT, EVENING ACTIVITIES HAVE BEEN ESTABLISHED AND OFTEN INVOLVE SPEAKERS FROM THE COMMUNITY. (MJM)