Education In Prisons

As we society grows, so do the social needs of society. In the history of America, the main goal for the criminal justice system is to keep our communities safe. Providing the best educational programs for offenders inside a prison institution could reduce recidivism. Gordon and Weldon (2003) exemplifies that the ultimate goal of correctional education is to reduce recidivism. This occurs when the inmate becomes self-sufficient they could re-integrated in the community and become productive in the workforce, citizens, and family member. Through the educational program inmates are getting the education skills. This research paper explores the seriousness of educational program in the United States prisons. People need to understand the importance
When an inmate enters prison there educational skills aren’t so good. Most of them don’t have a High school diploma. The program Adult basic education (ABE) consists of inmates / students. The program helps inmates with reading skills below the high school level. The classes are divided into sections level one, two and three. It provides with opportunities to learned new skills such as Language Arts and mathematics. After being put to one of the levels I mention before the inmates/ students takes a test called Test Adult Basic Education (TABE) assessment that is used to determined were will be the placement of each inmate of the appropriate ABE level Davis and Bozick (2015). In my personal experienced I had an uncle who went through this program in one of the California State prison. When he was young he committed a big mistake which he was sentenced for ten years in prison for possession of illegal drugs. At the age of nineteen he didn’t have any education. Well once he knew that they were offending the educational program Adult Basic Education (ABE) at the prison that he was at he joined the program and stated to take classes there at the prison facility. With that program my uncle was able to get his GED and he also took a post-secondary level which means he was taking some upper level college classes. Now that he has been released from prison two years ago I have talked to him about
Having a higher education increases the chance of been employed. With inmates increasing their education there family members are more hopeful that they have changed their live for good. Most of the ex-offender live in a poor neighborhood, when people see the change of an ex offender this could positively impact the communities return. Employments for ex-offenders could be hard at times. When an inmate is going thru the educational program you are guided with the knowledge that you could use to find an employment. The main purpose of having this type of programs it improves the likelihood of someone not committing illegal activities. Dennis and Sharp (2002) mentions that most of the times offenders are being told that the program will benefit them. The inmate will automatically raise their expectations of an employment after release. When an inmate is released the fact that being disillusioned when their looking for a job could make them feel trap in the system. This could increase the likelihood of returning to crime. Instead of using their knowledge and skills that they were taught in the educational system, they may simply go back to their illegal criminal activities. The reason that it happen is because mechanism of stress of trying to support themselves and a family could make them go back in selling drugs. This is why the educational programs help you in. The educational program in prison help inmates to obtained