Innovative learning models for prisoners

Prison education should be a top priority issue in most societies. Prison conditions must not infringe human rights and dignity and must offer meaningful treatment programmes in order to support inmates in their rehabilitation and reintegration in society. The use of ICTs within a penitentiary context plays a crucial role in that. The present Volume looks at the learning potential in prisons and reports on innovative (e-)learning pathways for basic skills education as designed and tested in Cyprus, Greece, Italy and Romania. Research investigated on what counts as ‘educational’ in such a complex context and how to combine relevant pieces in a ‘learning mosaic’ (the broad range of any learning opportunity across it). This Volume argues that such an approach may be adopted in a wider European perspective within the frame of dynamic security

The correctional rehabilitation programme on recidivism among inmates: A case of Oke-Kura prison, Kwara State, Nigeria

The apprehension for high rates of recidivism within Nigerian prisons received inadequate attention. It is pertinent to consider how best to practice correctional rehabilitation programmes. It is imperative to have a better orientation of rehabilitation for re-integration of inmate into the society. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to explore the correctional rehabilitation programme to reduced inmates recidivism in Oke-Kura Prison. The study used a mixed-method design. The study explored the correctional rehabilitation programme. The in-depth interview conducted with ten Informants, who are staffs from Oke-Kura prison, Kwara Sate, Nigeria were dominantly used meanwhile 242 inmates participated in the survey, purposive sampling procedure with the aid of questionnaires for data collection. The interview data was analyzed thematically with the coded data structure, while the quantitative findings was descriptively done by using analysis and results of Partial Least Square Structural Equation Modeling in determining the forces which shape the cause of recidivism. The results of the quantitative showed that there is a significant relationship between correctional rehabilitation programmes with the rate of inmate’s recidivism. In addition, the qualitative study found that there are issues affecting the effectiveness of correctional rehabilitation programme such as perception of prison staffs and inmates in participation in rehabilitation programmes are the main protagonists in the correctional rehabilitation programmes. The study has significantly contributed a new angles to the overall perspectives of how rehabilitation have been directly and indirectly influencing the recidivism. In addition the possible solutions have been proposed. The study concludes that structural factors (Rehabilitation cycles, Designing Programmes, Types of programmes and How to be accomplished) are the reasons for the intractable recidivism among inmates. For effective rehabilitation therefore, the study proposed a model to guide the rehabilitation pathways understanding and solution strategie

The Perspectives of Male Inmates Regarding Their K-12 Educational Experiences

All school systems throughout the country serve students referred to as at risk. Research documents that these students are at a greater risk of dropping out of school due to characteristics that contribute to school disengagement. By exploring the perspectives of male inmates aged 18-30 regarding their educational experiences, this study\u27s data illuminated how school personnel and the schooling process may theoretically contribute to negative outcomes such as incarceration. The focus of the study was to identify commonalities and phenomena in relation to educational experiences, school engagement levels, deviant behavior, and school staff-student interactions as related to the at-risk student population. Interviews of a sample group of prisoners were utilized to gather rich data from their experiences. A qualitative/phenomenological research method was employed. This study introduced a revised and expanded term to replace the at-risk term when describing students who are at risk of school failure. This new term is COPE (Children Of Promise in Education). The acronym COPEr will be used when referring to the individual student who is at promise for academic success. COPErs will be used when referring to multiple students of promise for academic success. Six themes emerged from the data analysis. The six themes were as follows: characteristics of the respondents as k-12 students, student-staff interaction, engagement, disengagement, negative outcomes, and reflection and advice. An analysis of the themes is represented by quotes from the study\u27s participants. This analysis allowed for the emergence of data that substantively contributes to the gap in the literature pertaining to a continued need for qualitative research examining the schooling experiences of at-risk youth, juvenile delinquents, high school dropouts, and, as in this study, inmates. Few studies have examined the perspectives of inmates regarding their schooling experiences. Most research regarding inmates has examined correctional education within the prison system. After the findings of the study are revealed, the implications of the study are presented. Implications for school staff and student development through communication and positive interaction are addressed. Suggestions for future research related to positive academic and social development of COPErs in the educational system are suggested

The Perspectives of Male Inmates Regarding Their K-12 Educational Experiences

All school systems throughout the country serve students referred to as at risk. Research documents that these students are at a greater risk of dropping out of school due to characteristics that contribute to school disengagement. By exploring the perspectives of male inmates aged 18-30 regarding their educational experiences, this study\u27s data illuminated how school personnel and the schooling process may theoretically contribute to negative outcomes such as incarceration. The focus of the study was to identify commonalities and phenomena in relation to educational experiences, school engagement levels, deviant behavior, and school staff-student interactions as related to the at-risk student population. Interviews of a sample group of prisoners were utilized to gather rich data from their experiences. A qualitative/phenomenological research method was employed. This study introduced a revised and expanded term to replace the at-risk term when describing students who are at risk of school failure. This new term is COPE (Children Of Promise in Education). The acronym COPEr will be used when referring to the individual student who is at promise for academic success. COPErs will be used when referring to multiple students of promise for academic success. Six themes emerged from the data analysis. The six themes were as follows: characteristics of the respondents as k-12 students, student-staff interaction, engagement, disengagement, negative outcomes, and reflection and advice. An analysis of the themes is represented by quotes from the study\u27s participants. This analysis allowed for the emergence of data that substantively contributes to the gap in the literature pertaining to a continued need for qualitative research examining the schooling experiences of at-risk youth, juvenile delinquents, high school dropouts, and, as in this study, inmates. Few studies have examined the perspectives of inmates regarding their schooling experiences. Most research regarding inmates has examined correctional education within the prison system. After the findings of the study are revealed, the implications of the study are presented. Implications for school staff and student development through communication and positive interaction are addressed. Suggestions for future research related to positive academic and social development of COPErs in the educational system are suggested

I Hope I Don\u27t See You Tomorrow: A Phenomenological Ethnography Of The Passages Academy School Program

This study examines Passages Academy, a school program that offers educational services for court-involved youth in New York City. Looking specifically at the Department of Education teachers who work in facilities run by the Department of Juvenile Justice, this research focuses on the beliefs and behaviors that inform the teaching experience within these facilities. The critical question of how these educators negotiate the learning spaces within this school community is also examined. The question that informs much of this study is: how are the philosophies of the various stake-holding agencies enacted daily in real classroom settings? This leads to a discussion concerning the specific agenda of each agency and a focus on how the competing philosophies are realized within such a small and limited physical space. In addition, this study considers the ways in which classroom protocols and teachers\u27 pedagogies--including curriculum, instruction, classroom management and assessment--are shaped by their students\u27 status as incarcerated youth. Such are the social, political and pedagogical forces that determine how court-involved youths are educated

Iowa CASAS Pilot Project Reports An Initial Evaluation of CASAS Effectiveness in Iowa's Adult Basic Education Programs, September 1994

The purpose of the Iowa Comprehensive Adult Student Assessment System (CASAS) Pilot Site Projects was to determine the flexibility and feasibility of utilizing CASAS in a variety of adult basic skills instructional locations coordinated through Iowa's community colleges. A variety of pilot sites and community colleges were chosen to participate in the pilot test activities. The pilot test activities began in the fall of 1992 and are still continuing. This publication contains the reports for all of the CASAS pilot projects. [See Appendices A, B, and C for background information.] The community colleges involved in the CASAS pilot projects were: • Northeast Iowa Community College • North Iowa Area Community College • Iowa Lakes Community College • Iowa Central Community College • Kirkwood Community College • Western Iowa Tech Community College • Iowa Western Community College • Indian Hills Community College • Southeastern Community Colleg