Introduction
International law makes it clear that everyone, including incarcerated individuals, have a right to access education. It is among the rights of prisoners to have access together with other cultural activities. Education has been implemented in various jail systems all over the world. Significant attention is placed on the illiterate and young prisoners, who mostly experience challenges with recidivism and re-entry. International bodies monitoring the jail and prison systems propose an integrated education system with standards that are comparable to enable the inmates to continue learning after their release.
Vocational training in the jail system is among the rehabilitative regime, which allows the prisoners to select the type of skill that they are interested to learn. The programs include agricultural skills, woodwork, traditional skills, and metalwork. These programs are helpful in transitional societies, developed and developing economies. Teaching prisoners’ numeracy and literacy is an essential foundation for personal development and personal change. Education and Vocational training programs can be delivered within prison premises or virtual and have a significant impact in reducing recidivism, promoting re-entry, behavioral change.
Modern Education in Prisons
Modern education methods include personal study, peer learning, classroom learning, and distance learning. However, with prisoners having limited access to various educational materials, a learner-centred approach that focuses on improving the prisoners’ past experience, personal skills, and abilities is considered the best approach. This method is used in line with other styles of teaching and learning that are relevant and engaging (Cormac, 2021). Additionally, it is crucial to have a learning model tailored to the prison environment that uses unit-based courses and prior learning validation. The drawback of this scheme is that it is not easy to be applied in jails that are overcrowded. In many states, Institutes of higher education are partnering with prisons to promote higher learning. The services are critical in fostering civil associations, private education institutes, and the government to cooperate with the jails for the well-being of the inmates.
The Prison School
In institutions with maximum security, such as Supermax prisons, the inmates have less time outside their jails with significant minimum contact with other individuals. They are provided with fewer interaction opportunities making them have little time for recreational activities and education programs. However, other prisons that are open enable the inmates to access education easily as they are provided with enough time for studies (Cormac, 2021). The variation in penal culture from one prison to another affects the prisoners’ education experience. This is because of the variation in educational opportunities, programs available, and confinement conditions. Prisons with stand-alone schools usually create a conducive environment for learning as they are within the penitentiary boundary but far from the cells. The schools are equipped with computer facilities and libraries. Other prisons do not have separate schools leading to the set-up of a particular prison wing for education. Maximum security prison utilizes in-cell television for classes (Cormac, 2021).
The lessons are projected from the prison or outside, enabling the inmates to access their educational rights. Some prisons are designed to be educational as they emphasize therapeutic communities (TCs), which major in education and therapeutics.
Peer-led learning program
This method is subjected to risk assessment as it involves the use of inmates that are educated to provide teaching to other prisoners that are less skilled. For example, in places such as India, graduates in prison are given a chance to teach others and are later rewarded with a waiver that reduces their sentence (Thekkumkara et al., 2022). In the United Kingdom, organizations such as the charity Shannon Trust developed literacy programs managed by educated inmates. It is a reading program that helps less-learned individuals improve and promote their literacy.
Prison University Partnerships program
Most universities are partnering with prisons to ensure that prisoners can access education. The programs offered are in line with those being provided to college students. This allows the inmates to continue their studies at the end of their sentences. In the United Kingdom, a learning together program is implemented to give prisoners a chance to study criminology courses (Gray & Ward, 2019). The costs for such courses are waivered in various countries such as Nigeria. In Panama, the university of Panama partnered with the ministry of interior to provide an extension in women’s and men’s prisons, resulting in many participants and graduates. Canada also has similar educational programs developed for prisons and the community.
Adult Basic Education
This program is designed for inmates that can read and write. These inmates whose education level is below 6th grade are enrolled in special education. They are subjected to tests that help identify the learner’s weaknesses and needs (Cormac, 2021). An educational plan is developed, which involves evaluating the prisoners’ learning process and retesting their abilities. The program is crucial in promoting the prisoners’ language, reading ability, and mathematic literacy.
Vocational Training Integration
Integrating Vocational Training with Education or Work
Integrating education with vocational programs is more successful than operating the two independently. The two programs help promote problem-solving and enhance reasoning. Many states recognize the significance of soft skills among prisoners. Training organizations are being registered by prisons to provide prisoners with the necessary skills. Private companies can provide these services within the prison environment or outside their boundaries. For instance, in the 2000s, the United Kingdom experience a shortage of gas fitters and forklift trucks. This led to training prisoners, who were assured employment after pursuing a full-time course (Cormac, 2021). This model is essential because it enables the prisoners to develop skills that will promote their chances of getting work when released. Private companies have an easy time training prisoners because of their full-time attendance. Vocational programs are numerous and are selected depending on what the inmate wants to learn (DOC, 2022). They include agricultural technology, engineering, roofing, woodwork, welding, baking, and pastry arts.
Effects of Educational and Vocational Programs
Recidivism
Participating in education programs is beneficial to the inmates. From the study conducted by Bozick et al. (2018), the prisoners who engage in educational programs have a higher chance of not engaging in criminal activities than those who did not participate. Educational and vocational programs are significant in addressing cognitive problems despite being designed to focus on academic education and a specific set of skills that promote the value of the prisoner (Bozick et al., 2018). Inmates that have received vocational training tend to have a wide variety of jobs to focus on, which they can apply at the end of their sentences (Bozick et al., 2018). The exposure provided by the vocational courses enables the inmates to have a different view of the economic environment. They tend to have post-release employment exposure, which makes them have a reduced rate of recidivism.
The United States of America has the highest number of incarcerated individuals. More than 7.6b million people are in prisons, probation, and parole programs (bstone, 2019). In a single year, the USA releases approximately 650,000 individuals (bstone, 2019). However, about 56.7% of the released population is usually rearrested in a year. In three years, 67.8% of released are rearrested, and in about five years, 76.6% are rearrested (bstone, 2019). Education and vocational programs reduce the recidivism rate to about 30%. Individuals with vocational training lead with a reduced rate of 30% (bstone, 2019). Inmates with an associate degree are second with a reduction of 13.7%, followed by Bachelor with 5.6% (bstone, 2019). The above statistics show that these programs are functional and have a positive outcome.
Re-entry
Unemployment is a significant determinant of recidivism as most unoccupied individuals find it easy to return to criminal life. Suitable employment significantly reduces the chances of an individual getting associated with activities that may lead to recidivism. It enables one to pay bills and attain housing, making one commit to work rather than criminal life. According to Smith et al. (2020), approximately 25% of the individuals released from prison get employment in the first year of re-entering their communities (P. 1). This can be curbed by including vocational training in the prison system to prepare the prisoners for re-entry. Most of the state prisons provide education and vocational training to support the inmates so they may have a smooth transition when re-entering the community.
The increased number of partnerships between colleges and the prison system is optimistic for inmates’ re-entry. This is because most prisoners lack credentials that may enable them to get work when released. Additionally, most employers require one’s history, which limits a person’s job choices. Vandala (2019) claim that the employment of released inmates significantly enhances reintegration. Reintegration is essential in preventing one from repeating the same crimes, which is part of the role of the rehabilitation program. Employment is necessary for a successful re-entry, facilitated by skills one gain from vocational and educational programs.
Inmate behavior
Education and personal development have a significant relationship. Among prisoners, education plays a crucial role in promoting treatment and rehabilitation. Various programs which focus on managing anger and depression are included in educational schemes (Pike & Farley, 2018). Additionally, education helps promote individual transformation. According to Bozick et al. (2018), moral development is crucial in promoting one’s behavior and is achieved through education. Allowing inmates access to education is essential in enabling them to gain valuable skills that improve their life goals and sense of responsibility (Cormac, 2021).
Inmates can change their perception of reality through cognitive, sociopolitical and moral development. Many prisoners commit a crime at a developmental stage (Vandala, 2019). This makes them unable to critically analyze the situation by analyzing other options available and the consequences of the outcome of their actions. However, when exposed to various pools of knowledge through educational courses and vocational training, they reflect on their actions, making them understand the consequences.
Changing inmate behavior is challenging as it is not about providing factual information. It requires implementing problem-solving methods in the education curriculum to enable critical changes. Using educational curricula by the jails system provides course content that helps improve the prisoners’ moral reasoning. This affects the impulse to commit a crime, reducing the risk of one getting involved in unethical behaviors. The Desistance paradigm portrays that correctional programs should be sensitive to the users and provides them with a chance to lead a better life (Ainslie, 2021). Offering education and vocational programs help inmates change their identity and give them a new identity that motivates behavior change. Additionally, these programs help cover the missing part of the prisoners’ resume making them able to seek employment with confidence. This confidence makes them alter their behavior positively when seeking re-entry into the community.
Educational programs also have a positive impact on individuals that serve long-term sentences. They can reduce violent behaviors, which is a life-changing benefit. Indiana prison survey shows that inmates who participated in college classes had a 75% reduction in infractions compared to those who did not enrol in educational programs (“Benefits of Prison Education”, 2022). Furthermore, education is crucial in reducing prison tension, usually caused by racial and ethnic barriers. It promotes integration among prisoners and staff members hence promoting their self-esteem.
Conclusion
Educational and vocational programs in the jail system are effective tools that help change the lifestyle of the inmates inside the prison system and also after completing their sentence. The world is currently using modernized methods of learning. This has enabled prisoners to access various types of learning and training. The prison school has been designed to allow prisoners to access education within their restricted environment. The schools are equipped with learning resources such as computer facilities and a library to enhance prisoners’ education. Learning programs include peer-led learning programs where graduate inmates volunteer to help others and are later rewarded with sentence reduction.
Prison university partnership program is used where universities partner with the jail system to deliver various degree courses. Adult primary education is used for inmates that know how to read and write. Those below grade 6 are enrolled in special education. Vocational training is used to deliver agriculture, metalwork, and woodwork. Skills Educational and vocational programs help reduce recidivism, re-entry, and inmate behavior. They enable the prisoners to have a different view, making them change their attitude toward infractions. Furthermore, it promotes employability through the provision of vocational skills.
References
Ainslie, S. (2021). Seeing and believing: Observing desistance-focused practice and enduring values in the National Probation Service. Probation Journal, 68(2), 146-165. Web.
Benefits of Prison Education – Northwestern Prison Education Program. (2022). Web.
Bozick, R., Steele, J., Davis, L., & Turner, S. (2018). Does providing inmates with education improve post-release outcomes? A meta-analysis of correctional education programs in the United States. Journal of Experimental Criminology, 14(3), 389-428. Web.
bstone. (2019). Rehabilitation Programs in Prisons Effectiveness through Education. Blackstone Career Institute. Web.
Cormac, B. (2021). Education in prison: a literature review. UNESCO Institute for Lifelong Learning.
Department of Correction (DOC). (2022). Improving Public Safety by Building Successful Transitions into our Community. (pp. 1-2). Web.
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Smith, M., Mitchell, J., Blajeski, S., Parham, B., Harrington, M., & Ross, B. et al. (2020). Enhancing vocational training in corrections: A type 1 hybrid randomized controlled trial protocol for evaluating virtual reality job interview training among returning citizens preparing for community re-entry. Contemporary Clinical Trials Communications, 19, 1-16. Web.
Thekkumkara, S., Jagannathan, A., Muliyala, K., & Murthy, P. (2022). Development and validation of a peer support programme for the prisoners with mental and substance use disorders in India. Indian Journal of Psychiatry, 64(3), 1-8. Web.
Vandala, N. (2019). The transformative effect of correctional education: A global perspective. Cogent Social Sciences, 5(1), 1-12. Web.