NCJ Number
194867
Journal
Journal of Correctional Education Volume: 53 Issue: 1 Dated: March 2002 Pages: 32-37
Date Published
2002
Length
6 pages
Annotation
This article examines what appear to be high rates of voluntary participation in education among prisoners in Ireland and Europe.
Abstract
Prison education aims to provide a high quality, broadly based and flexible program to meet the needs of those under sentence by helping them to: cope with their sentences; achieve personal development; prepare for life after release; and establish the appetite and capacity for further education after release. The three key features of the European Prison Rules perspective that the article considers “open the way” for different aspects of education include: (1) prisons tend to damage people, and this damage must be minimized; (2) prisons should offer opportunities to prisoners to develop themselves; and (3) personal responsibility and active participation should be fostered among prisoners, with a view to their “resettlement” in self-supporting lives. The European Prison Rules suggest that a comprehensive education program be arranged in every institution to provide opportunities for all prisoners to pursue at least some of their individual needs and aspirations. Appendixes, references