Why Are Prisons Overcrowded
Abdulhakim Muhammad Law and Social Change Soc-235 Dr. Hocne Fetni 11-12-11
Why are prisons overcrowded??? 1) Introduction to thesis, statement of purpose
Most prisons do not make education a priority, so prisoners who are released without education are more likely to return to prison increasing recidivism and overcrowding. Most prisons do not make education a priority because teaching basic skills in prison is fraught with tensions, most particularly through exposure of concealed perceived inadequacies to teachers, peers and class groups. In the outside community basic skills teaching is often undertaken by volunteers who give personal one to one tuition. Later, once confidence has increased, the student is invited to join a small literacy or numeracy class. Without this sensitive and empathetic approach, teaching basic skills in prison can be, as Forster fears, a site of humiliation and failure that merely replicates previous experience of school. This is not only a problem for prisons but we can see that the teacher and the students are affected as well. 2) Concepts and theories that are relevant to the thesis
This next section will cover the concepts and theories that will be relevant to the thesis. This will also show and prove that education in prison settings is a major factor that will bring about social change. Prison education needs to address deficiencies in basic skills, but it also has multiple layers that can address life skills. For example, national programs to help imprisoned fathers strengthen family ties are being piloted. (Neustatter, 2000). Based on these statements we can see the need for strengthening family ties because if the father is in prison then the mother has to raise the children alone. This not only affects the mother but the children will be affected as well. The children will be raised without a father figure in the household. The mother will have to play the role of the father as well to try and keep
Why are prisons overcrowded??? 1) Introduction to thesis, statement of purpose
Most prisons do not make education a priority, so prisoners who are released without education are more likely to return to prison increasing recidivism and overcrowding. Most prisons do not make education a priority because teaching basic skills in prison is fraught with tensions, most particularly through exposure of concealed perceived inadequacies to teachers, peers and class groups. In the outside community basic skills teaching is often undertaken by volunteers who give personal one to one tuition. Later, once confidence has increased, the student is invited to join a small literacy or numeracy class. Without this sensitive and empathetic approach, teaching basic skills in prison can be, as Forster fears, a site of humiliation and failure that merely replicates previous experience of school. This is not only a problem for prisons but we can see that the teacher and the students are affected as well. 2) Concepts and theories that are relevant to the thesis
This next section will cover the concepts and theories that will be relevant to the thesis. This will also show and prove that education in prison settings is a major factor that will bring about social change. Prison education needs to address deficiencies in basic skills, but it also has multiple layers that can address life skills. For example, national programs to help imprisoned fathers strengthen family ties are being piloted. (Neustatter, 2000). Based on these statements we can see the need for strengthening family ties because if the father is in prison then the mother has to raise the children alone. This not only affects the mother but the children will be affected as well. The children will be raised without a father figure in the household. The mother will have to play the role of the father as well to try and keep
Bibliography: Bayliss, Phil. "Learning behind bars: time to liberate prison education." Studies in the Education of Adults 35.2 (2003): 157-172. Academic Search Complete. EBSCO. Web. 8 Oct. 2010. Behan, Cormac. "Report from the European Prison Education Association." Journal of Correctional Education 59.3 (2008): 196-197. Academic Search Complete. EBSCO. Web. 6 Oct. 2010. Clements, Paul. "The Rehabilitative Role of Arts Education in Prison: Accommodation or Enlightenment?." International Journal of Art & Design Education 23.2 (2004): 169-178. Academic Search Complete. EBSCO. Web. 8 Oct. 2010. Elliott, Liz. "Security, Without Care: Challenges for Restorative Values in Prison." Contemporary Justice Review 10.2 (2007): 193-208. Academic Search Complete. EBSCO. Web. 6 Oct. 2010. Linton, John. "United States Department of Education Update." Journal of Correctional Education 61.1 (2010): 6-8. Academic Search Complete. EBSCO. Web. 6 Oct. 2010. Mayo, Peter. "Antonio Gramsci and his Relevance for the Education of Adults." Educational Philosophy & Theory 40.3 (2008): 418-435. Academic Search Complete. EBSCO. Web. 6 Oct. 2010. McCarthy, Healther Jane. "Educating Felons: Reflections on Higher Education in Prison." Radical History Review 96 (2006): 87-94. Academic Search Complete. EBSCO. Web. 8 Oct. 2010. Torre, María Elena, and Michelle Fine. "Bar None: Extending Affirmative Action to Higher Education in Prison." Journal of Social Issues 61.3 (2005): 569-594. Academic Search Complete. EBSCO. Web. 8 Oct. 2010. Ward, Shakoor A. "Career and Technical Education in United States Prisons: What Have We Learned?." Journal of Correctional Education 60.3 (2009): 191-200. Academic Search Complete. EBSCO. Web. 8 Oct. 2010.