EDUCATION AND/OR TRAINING ACTIVITIES AT THE GOVERNMENT PRISONS AT NYBORG AN SOBYSOGARD, DENMARK

• NCJ Number: 49461
• Author(s): B HOLSTEIN; F B SKADHAUGE
• Date Published: 1977
• Length: 148 pages
• Corporate Author: Denmark Ministry of Justice
• Publication Format: Document
• Country: Denmark

Annotation

THIS REPORT DISCUSSES THE INTENTIONS AND REALITY OF AN EDUCATION AND TRAINING PROGRAM FOR INMATES CALLED THE SKADHAUGE PLAN (SP), USED IN PRISONS IN DENMARK.

Abstract

THE SP PROGRAM EVOLVED FROM A 1973 PROPOSAL FOR INCREASING INSTRUCTIONAL, EDUCATIONAL, AND FREE-TIME ACTIVITIES FOR PRISON INMATES. IT WAS DETERMINED THAT INMATES HAVING A LOWER LEVEL OF EDUCATION THAN THE GENERAL POPULATION SHOULD BE OFFERED THE SAME EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES AS A REGULAR CITIZEN. THE RESULT WAS A PROGRAM THAT ENCOURAGED INMATES TO OUTLINE A COURSE OF STUDY AFTER THEIR CONVICTION BUT BEFORE SENTENCING; THIS WOULD ALLOW THE JUDICIARY TO TAKE INTO ACCOUNT THE DESIRES AND NEEDS OF THE INDIVIDUAL AND THE AVAILABLE RESOURCES WITHIN OR ADJACENT TO A CORRECTIONAL FACILITY WHEN DETERMINING THE INSTITUTION TO WHICH AN OFFENDER IS TO BE SENT. IN PRACTICE, INMATES PROPOSE A SET OF EDUCATIONAL GOALS AND SELECT COURSES--BOTH WITHIN AND WITHOUT THE INSTITUTION--THAT BEST MEET THESE OBJECTIVES. AN INTERNAL STATISTICAL SYSTEM FOR KEEPING TABS ON THE OPERATION AND PROGRESS OF THE EDUCATIONAL TRAINING PLANS WAS DEVELOPED, ALONG WITH AN EVALUATION DEVICE FOR MEASURING THE REACTIONS OF INMATES, CRIMINAL WELFARE PERSONNEL, AND PERSONS INVOLVED IN THE INSTITUTIONS. ADDITIONALLY, RECIDIVISTS WERE REGISTERED TO GAIN INFORMATION ON THE NATURE AND QUANTITY OF RECIDIVISTS IN RELATION TO THE VARIETY OF EDUCATIONAL ATTEMPTS. A POSTINVESTIGATION WAS ALSO CONDUCTED USING AN INTERVIEW METHOD TO GATHER DATA ON THE CLIENTS THEMSELVES, ON DEVELOPMENTS AFTER RELEASE, AND ON THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE PROGRAM. IT WAS FOUND THAT MOST OF THE PARTICIPANTS WERE SERVING SENTENCES OF 1 YEAR OR LONGER, PARTICIPANTS HAD FEWER PRIOR ARRESTS THAT THE GENERAL PRISON POPULATION, AND MANY HAD QUIT SCHOOL BETWEEN THE 8TH AND 10TH GRADES. WHILE PARTICIPANTS EXPRESSED VERY POSITIVE FEELINGS ABOUT THE PROGRAM, THEY CRITICIZED THE LIMITED SCOPE OF THE AVAILABLE COURSES AND THE LACK OF COURSES RELEVANT TO EMPLOYMENT. --IN DANISH. (KBL)