Some Prisons Of The Future May Be Campuses Of Sorts
Obviously, this approach isn't for just anybody who gets sent to prison but there are some interesting ideas from the "Reset Foundation," an organization to create and fund what would be the first nonprofit edu-prison for adults. The piece, for NationSwell, was written by my friend David Wallis:
The proposed day and evening schedule of learning is not for slackers. Reset's candidates -- limited to men between the ages of 18 and 24, who are serving one- to three-year sentences for crimes not of a violent or sexual nature -- must demonstrate the "personal motivation to succeed." Life skills workshops, such as lessons on parenting and anger management, will start at eight in the morning, followed by two hours of literacy and basic math education. Students then take a career class to learn workplace skills like using computers or writing memos. Lunch might be served with a mentoring session. In the afternoons, students will tackle projects focused on the humanities or science. And the opportunities for education do not end in the evening. Students receive one-on-one therapy, addiction counseling (if needed) and join support groups. Upon release, graduates return to Reset for "ongoing support and check-ins."Should a student flunk anger management, discreet security specialists --whom Wilson describes as "almost like bouncers" -- step in to diffuse conflicts. Reset has yet to determine whether security staff will be unionized. But Porter argues that a positive environment, "and how busy you are," are far more effective at maintaining calm than the threat of a baton to the gut.
Educating inmates has proved to be "the single most effective crime prevention measure," concluded a 2003 study published in the University of Pennsylvania Journal of Law and Social Change. The study tracked nearly 26,000 released prisoners in Texas; ex-cons who had received an education were significantly less likely to serve time again than those who had not taken classes while incarcerated.
I can see the value of this. But I think that in a way you need to "prep" them before trying to teach them. Such as a 6-12 month period of prison labor. Get it through their heads that unless they are willing to change and learn real stuff they are going to be facing this everyday for years on end.
Jim P. at January 18, 2014 5:35 AM
So... a re-education camp? Why am I not set at ease?
Isaac T at January 18, 2014 5:38 AM
Totally agree with this approach but I would add a requirement to acquire a trade license and 1 year of public service probation using that trade.
Their 'prison' time would not be harsh treatment but would be total loss of freedom, public service of some sort, mandatory psch, and so on.
Assholes should not be rewarded w/life imprisonment. People who can not handle life full of choices and opportunities to misbehave should get structure/help not inhumane treatment (and then turned loose on the public).
Bob in Texas at January 18, 2014 6:07 AM
Why not? They're called "correctional facilities," so let's facilitate the correction.
But the only stipulation I would place is that when the get the education, the remainder of their incarceration is spent doing some pro-bono work (or perhaps for a modest stipend). I would consider that to be a fair trade for their education, depending upon the length of their sentence.
Patrick at January 18, 2014 6:12 AM
This reminds me more than a little of Bill James' idea in "Popular Crime": break the prison system up into a bunch of smaller prisons at varying levels, allow prisoners to move between levels (and gain additional privileges), and make advancement from level to level contingent on meeting goals.
So, for example, you might have a Level 0 prison out in the middle of nowhere for the real hard core scumbags (like the current SuperMax). Then you might have a Level 4 prison, located in the community, where prisoners get anger management training and substance abuse counseling. If they pass those and maintain good behavior for a while, they can pick a trade and move to a Level 5 prison for training. Once they've finished training and maintained good behavior, they can move to a Level 6 prison where they actually go to work, and maybe the money goes to restitution. And so on...
I think the idea is worth thinking about, and one of these days I plan to write about it (and the book in general) on my own blog. But in the meantime I'd recommend reading "Popular Crime".
Dwight Brown at January 18, 2014 11:57 AM
What this country really needs, is more skilled workers like machinists. Roofers, and plumbers. I wish prison education was about giving someone a testable skill, rather than a "certificate"
Isab at January 18, 2014 1:09 PM
And the nice thing about the trades that Isab describes is that they're pretty lenient as far as criminal records go.
Perhaps the pro-bono work I was suggesting that inmates perform could be going toward building new homes that can be sold at a reasonable price.
Patrick at January 18, 2014 4:09 PM
"ex-cons who had received an education were significantly less likely to serve time again than those who had not taken classes while incarcerated."
Now really, is this cause or effect?
In my opinion, those inmates who looked for ways to better themselves were more likely to take classes and therefore more likely to NOT be involved in crime afterwards.
Those inmates who didn't look to improve themselves were already more likely to revert to crime when released.
I thought this would be common sense.
Do we really need to spend more money on educating folks who dismissed their first chance at a public-paid-for education by giving them even MORE after they have committed crimes?
I'm all for giving most a second chance; but, why, for crying out loud, should they get a third, fourth, fifth, etc. chance and get a taxpayer financed education while the rest of us go in debt trying to keep our heads above water.
Throwing more money at the penal system won't really make things better - except for the unions and other government employees who get a well-paid job in the process (along with a generous pension).
Prison should NOT be easy; nor should it give benefits that your average law-abiding taxpayer cannot afford.
Charles at January 18, 2014 9:04 PM
If "Educating inmates has proved to be "the single most effective crime prevention measure," then why aren't we working harder to make sure they are educated in our school system so we don't have to pay for them to be educated by and in a jail. I don't mind their education, but it seems like this would by good for high school students, instead of pushing everyone off to college.
NikkiG at January 19, 2014 6:11 AM
Obviously you're new here. You haven't seen any of the issues raised about common core, zero tolerance, the absentee teachers and the rest that would get the students educated.
So if you can get your school board to listen to you go for it.
Jim P. at January 19, 2014 8:54 PM
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