Educating Prison Inmates - Research Paper Example

Educating Prison Inmates In the recent time, inmates’ education programs have been to constant debate. Over the past few decades, several continental have adopted this approach in order to ensure the effectiveness of correctional system. In this research paper, American inmates’ educating program has been highlighted in order to capture the competence and efficiency of the correctional system. During the research, American inmates’ educating programs advantages have been pointed out through evaluating the effectiveness of the approach. On the contrary, all the demerits of the American inmates’ educating programs have been critically explored. Apart from that this research paper has also highlighted the opportunity of American inmates’ educating programs in order to accomplish employment. Moreover, the study has evidently perceived that inmates’ educational programs in correctional facility have reduced the criminal recidivism among prisoners and have provided them with employment opportunities. Introduction Inmates education has emerge to become a new trend in early 21st century. The tendency of inmates’ education has been mostly observed in American correctional system. The objective of inmates’ education is to convey knowledge among the prisoners for outside world and enhance the rehabilitative aspects of American prison. American government has chosen couple of approach such as vocational training and academic education to educate inmates. It has been also observed that several colleges and university along with few non-governmental organisations have stepped forward in order to offer educational programs to the inmates in America. During the year 1996, American Central Security Control (CSC) has realized that inmates’ education programs can meet their employment needs after the correctional life. Therefore, CSC has designed inmates’ education programs according to teach job skills and rational skills, which will help them to become productive and law abiding citizen. Thus, the American government has been investing large amount of money on offenders’ correctional education programs since the last decade (John Howard Society of Alberta, 2012). In this research paper, the main aim is to identify weather the inmates’ education programs affect the American correctional system positively or not. Apart from this, during the research the objective is to highlight the impact of offenders’ correctional education programs on the American correctional system. Moreover, through the research report the actual intention is to identify does offenders’ correctional education programs can reduce the effect of criminal recidivism in America. On further note this research report will also evaluate opportunity of inmates’ to use the educational knowledge after the correctional period in the employment market of the United States (US). The Effect of Inmates’ Education Programs on the American Correctional System Over the past decades, a massive policy changes have observed at the federal level on the US juridical system. According to the observation, it has been perceived that most of the mandate changes came about in the domain of Higher Education Act (HEA), Adult and Vocational Education Act and Workforce Investment Act (WIA). During the analysis, it has been exposed that for the Adult Based Education 10% of the federal fund has been allocated for correctional institutes. Similarly, under the Vocational Education Act there had been only 1% fund allocated earlier, which has been increased recently. However, the US government has assisted to provide 10% of the local funds for WIA (Spangenberg, 2004). Accordingly, in America few states have passed the literacy laws as a mandatory level of education for the inmates in order to accomplish higher rate of literacy level such as Oregon, Oklahoma and Maryland among others. On the other hand, some states have given more emphasis on educating inmates with a certain level of education in order to change the recidivism of prisoners’ in America. On the contrary, according to the analysis it has been also observed that most of the states have reduced the expenditure on correctional education in America for the prisoner and rather established on offenders’ correctional education programs (Spangenberg, 2004). Actually during the last decade, US government has viewed inmates from a broader context. According to the analysis, it has been observed that the program designers have understood an inmate needs something more than academic education. Thus, the program designers have emphasized to raise the educational knowledge and vocational skills along with parenting and anger management in order to address mental health needs and substance abuse issues (Spangenberg, 2004). However, during the analysis it has been also observed that despite of wider acceptance in the modern civilization, the correctional educational concept has not been able to influence human attention positively rather it has been often observed that most of the American citizens have viewed this correctional educational concept in a negative manner. Nevertheless, it can be apparently asserted that the correctional educational concept deserves much more attention from the American citizens (Spangenberg, 2004). On the other hand, it has been observed that US government has contributed approximately US$70 billion each year for the education purpose of around three million prisoners’. Accordingly, it has been estimated that American government contribute around $31,000 per inmate on his/education. Notwithstanding, it has been also observed that most of the American states do not invest that much amount on child education purpose (Deruy, 2013). Fig: 1 Financial Contribution percentage on correctional educational purpose (Vera Institute of Justice, 2012). As per (Fig: 1) it can be evidently asserted that most of the states such as Texas and New York among others have contributed significantly towards the correctional educational programs of American inmates. During the analysis, two separate reports have been evaluated in order to measure the difference between contributions among prisoner and student. Subsequently, it has been observed that California spends almost US$47,000 per inmate, whereas US$9,000 spending on student education. Similar condition has been seen in case of few other states such as Michigan and New York among others. As an effect, it has been observed that several famous personalities have criticized the issue which is related with inmate education system. Most of the criticizer doubted about American future in coming days (Prann, 2011). Thus, in order to make the inmates education programs effective the correctional system has improved the characteristic of correctional learning environments through adopting and implementing several approaches. In order to do that the correctional system has segmented prisoners’ according to the level of criminal recidivism. In accordance with John Howard Society of Alberta (2012), the American correctional system has offered more intensive services for higher risk involved individuals, whereas provided minimum intervention for low risk involved prisoners (John Howard Society of Alberta, 2012). Moreover, according to the prisoners’ crime level the correctional system has emphasized to reduce the similar kind of crime recidivism in American community. After evaluating entire inmates’ educational programs it can be apparently asserted that American community has been thoroughly benefited due to educating inmates. Pros and Cons of Educating Convicts and its Effect on the Prisoners In order to discuss the pros and cons of educating inmates it can be asserted that American governmental authority has believed that prisoners’ involvement with the education may have favorable influence on reducing the crime tendency and thereby criminal activities. Along with this, government has also believed prisoners’ engagement with such activities also help to spend their long punishment period through learning something effective for future life. According to the research, it has been observed that correctional education has reduced the criminal recidivism in America by 25%-80% in several states. In accordance with John Howard Society of Alberta (2012), adult based education and general educational development test has reduced criminal recidivism among the prisoners’ by 50% on average in the US during the last decade (John Howard Society of Alberta, 2012). Thus, it can be asserted as an advantage of inmates educating programs. Similarly, it has been also observed during the analysis that parenting tendency has been grown among the American prisoners. Beside parenting tendency the prisoners’ has also able to reduce their anger recidivism through the help of correctional education. Thus, in order to highlight the benefits of American inmates’ educating program; it can be evidently affirmed that the correctional education has contributed towards the American civilization with a positive dimension (Spangenberg, 2004; Ubah & Robinson, 2003). Moreover, the inmates’ education programs have increased the employability opportunity for offenders’ after correction period in American society. According to the observation, it has been ascertained that young criminals’ have improved the potential of securing employment after the correctional period along with the American civilized people. Apart from this, the correctional education system has also established a link between employment and law abides behaviour among the American offenders’ which has ensured a better future for the prisoners (John Howard Society of Alberta, 2012). Hence, it can be evidently asserted that inmates’ education programs have favorably influenced the American community. In accordance with John Howard Society of Alberta (2012), correctional education needs to address not only the academic and literature knowledge along with thinking skills but also it should reduce recidivism among offenders (John Howard Society of Alberta, 2012). According to a research report, it has be observed that during the year 2004, after getting released from the prison 41% men have remained unemployed and out of these unemployed men 17% were engaged in criminal activities within an one year interval. Thus, it can be asserted that even after investing massive amount of money on inmates’ educating purpose, there is no such assistance of reducing the criminal recidivism from American community completely (John Howard Society of Alberta, 2012). In addition, it has been observed that due to the inmates’ education purpose the American Institute of Justice’s Center has contributed massive amount of money which would have been in some other activities rather than investing on convicts’ educational program. Notably, the money that has been invested in student education purpose was ascertained to be comparatively lower than that of inmates’ education program. As, a result the cost per inmate has been increased in America while at the cost of general student. Evidently, it is proportionally higher investment for inmates educating concept which can be highlighted one of the major matter of concern from American prospect (Deruy, 2013). According to the thoroughly observation, it has been recognized that American society has been benefited highly due to implementation inmates’ education programs and has proven to be inspirational source for other nations to implement similar programs for inmates . On the contrary, still certain amounts of difficulties have remained unchanged even after contributing enormous amount of money in the field of criminal recidivism. Opportunity for Prisoners From the analysis, it has been apparently asserted that US correctional institutes have offered education for inmates’ by segmenting grade. It has been observed that for improving the level of literacy the American institutes offered 1st -4th grade education programs and 5th- 8th grade education programs. Apart from this, the American institutes have also offered secondary study facility for the interest prisoners. Moreover, inmates’ also have the chances of studying college courses from the correctional house. Thus, it can be evidently asserted that American institutes have been highly committed towards educating inmates’ and in order to accomplish that institutes have volunteered it capability efficiently (Davis et. al., 2013). Apart from this, it has been also observed during the analysis that American inmates’ education programs and correctional system have equally contributed towards the prisoners’ in order to accomplish dignity in modern civilization. According to the analysis, it has been exposed that American inmates’ education programs specially emphasis to reduce recidivism. Moreover, educational programs have grown a parenting tendency among the prisoners (Quan-Baffour & Zawada, 2012; Spangenberg, 2004). Simultaneously, from the analysis, it has been also explored that a certain number of prisoners’ have offered with the opportunity of employing them self’s within the span of one year time. According to a research report, it has been observed that during the year of 2004 almost 41% of the men inmates’ have been employed in American community within the span of one year time (John Howard Society of Alberta, 2012). Thus, during identify the opportunity of American inmates’ educating programs in order to accomplish employment; it can be assured that prisoners’ have the chances of using academic educational degree and rational skills in future life after the correctional period. Relationships between Educating Inmates and Reduction in Criminal Recidivism In America As per Spangenberg (2004), during the correctional period education programs have enormous amount of positive influences. Accordingly it has been expressed that only academic education and vocational training can establish dignity among the prisoners’ which can lead American civilization towards positive advancement. At the same time, inmates’ education programs can also reduce the criminal recidivism of American citizen (Spangenberg, 2004). The further observation revealed that most of the American prisoners are either getting aged or relatively younger than the productive citizens. Thus, during the analysis, it has been witnessed that young inmates have been benefited thoroughly through the help of academic educational programs and vocational training sessions (Spangenberg, 2004; Esperian, 2000). In accordance with Crayton and Neusteter (n.d.), recently American prisoners’ are more educated than earlier. Moreover, according to the observation it has identified that the educational gap between general population and prison population has reduced and has become narrowed (Crayton & Neusteter, n.d.). From the analysis, it has been explored that only 17% of the American prisoners’ have the tendency of repeat involvement in criminal activities or violent activities within one year after the correctional period. Thus, it can be evidently asserted that inmates’ educating programs can reduce the violence or criminal recidivism in America but it will quite challenging to obliterate crime completely. Conclusion In this research paper, it has been prominent that prisoners’ education concept is one of the highly controversial issue. According to the observation, it has been noticed that American correctional system has been criticized by few American citizens while some have appreciated this initiative. . In this regard, few critics believed that inmates’ does not have the privilege of education, whereas its proponents regarded this correctional education concept as a novel concept. However, through the analysis and evaluation it has been observed that the inmates’ education programs in correctional system have benefited all the involved parties directly and indirectly, including American citizen, every inmates and government itself. From the analysis, it has recognized that American citizen has been benefited with reduced level of violence and criminal recidivism due to inmates’ educational programs. Apart from this, individual inmates have been also benefited because the correctional education has provided academic and literature knowledge, which has helped to inmates to put themselves in employment after their release from prisons and has also developed parenting tendency. More specifically, such program is seen to reduce recidivism with the American society. Finally, the government has also benefited by reducing the crime tendency among domestic environment. Apart from this, the inmates’ educating initiative has succeeded significantly, which has changed the thinking philosophy of inmates after correctional period in America. Thus, in order to conclude the topic, it can be asserted that the criminal recidivism is decreasing in United States due to the inmates’ education practice in the prison. Inspired by the success of inmates’ educational programs in the US, it has been ascertained that many other nations across the world are implementing similar programs for inmates. References Crayton, A., & Neusteter, S. R. (n.d.). The current state of correctional education. Urban Institute, 1-29. Deruy, E. (2013). What it costs when we dont educate inmates for life after prison. Retrieved from http://fusion.net/justice/story/us-fails-educate-inmates-life-prison-11751 Esperian, J. H. (2000). The effect of prison education programs on recidivism. The Journal of Correctional Education, 61(4), 316-345. John Howard Society of Alberta. (2012). Inmate education. Retrieved from http://www.johnhoward.ab.ca/pub/pdf/C36.pdf Prann, E. (2011). States spend almost four times more per capita on incarcerating prisoners than educating students, studies say. Retrieved from http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2011/03/14/states-spend-times-incarcerating-educating-studies-say-464156987/ Quan-Baffour, K. P., & Zawada, B. E. (2012). Education programs for prison inmates: reward for offences or hope for a better life. J Sociology Soc Anth, 3(2): 73-81 Spangenberg, Gail. (2004). Current issues in correctional education. Council for Advancement of Adult Literacy, 1-30. Ubah, C. B. A. & Robinson, R. L. (2003). A grounded look at the debate over prison-based education: optimistic theory versus pessimistic worldview. The Prison Journal, 83, 115-129. Vera Institute of Justice, (2012). The price of prisons. Retrieved from http://www.vera.org/sites/default/files/resources/downloads/Price_of_Prisons_updated_version_072512.pdf Read More