Education In Prison

There is a growing acknowledgement of the benefits of education in prison. Education in prison, which falls under Adult Education, has both pre-release and post-release benefits for both the prisoner and for society. Education in prison plays a major role in preparing prisoners to return to society, it can prevent re-offending and can help prisoners cope with their sentence. Prison can have a negative impact on the prisoner and education in prison can help compact this. Prison “by its very nature is abnormal and destructive of the personality in a number of ways” and education has the “capacity to render the situation less abnormal, to limit somewhat the damage done to men and women through prison” (Council of Europe, 1990, p.15). The

Many of those who have had some form of education have had extremely negative experiences and prison can be a good place to start a positive experience with education. In the council of Europe report it is outlined that “a high proportion of prisoners have had a very limited and negative past education experience” and that “they are now entitled to special support to allow for their educational disadvantage to be redressed” (Council of Europe, 1990, p.15). Many prisoners turned to crime due to their lack of education as they had little chance of finding work. However, through an education program their employability has been enhanced. The opportunity of education, while inside, can be a stepping stone in the right direction and gives the option of choosing a different way of life. The prisoner has the opportunity to achieve basic qualifications for employability, with some going beyond the basic qualifications and continuing their education after release. Education in prison “has the capacity to encourage and help those who try to turn away from crime” (Council of Europe, 1990,