NCJ Number
81316
Journal
Federal Probation Volume: 45 Issue: 4 Dated: (December 1981) Pages: 41-44
Date Published
1981
Length
4 pages
Annotation
Correctional education and training programs are discussed, with attention to their history and potential enrollment. The use of community colleges to educate prisoners is suggested.
Abstract
Correctional education and training has a special mission of upgrading the capacity of people found at varying points in the criminal justice system to cope more effectively with life's economic and social requirements. Despite mixed results from various programs, there is increasing pressure from all quarters for more varied and relevant correctional programs. The use of education programs in prison can be traced back to 1876 when the Elmira Reformatory opened in New York with both a vocational training program and a 'school of letters.' Many of the earliest programs were designed to provide high school diplomas or to prepare inmates to take the high school equivalency test. During the 1960's, the number of programs offered inside prisons by colleges and universities increased rapidly. The growth of programs which allow inmates to attend classes on campus through study release has been increasing since 1960, but the growth has been slow. Study release provides the inmate contact with other students in the normal academic setting; this can be an important step in successful reintegration. While no precise figures exist on the number of inmates involved in higher education programs, surveys indicate that the number ranges between 1 and 5 percent. In 1976, the American Association of Community and Junior Colleges conducted a survey on the number of prisons offering postsecondary education programs, on the number of inmates served, etc. Many of the colleges and universities surveyed include study release opportunities as part of their offender programs, but most reported fewer than 10 such students on their campuses. Of particular interest was the ex-offender program offered by the Pima Community College in Tucson, Ariz. This program helps offenders in setting up parole plans and works to assist them upon their release. The program provides assistance with admission, employment, housing, food, and other personal needs. It is recommended that a system be structured within which prisoners would be provided with individual vouchers guaranteeing them access to community educational services upon completion of a specified time period and upon meeting specified standards of institutional conduct. A total of 26 footnotes are included.