Learning behind bars: 바카라사이트 shifting fortunes of prison education

When Paul left school at 15 with no qualifications, he had no big plan apart from earning some money to contribute to his family. Though he had always been interested in art, education had never really appealed to him.

It was a 17-year prison sentence that would lead to him becoming 바카라사이트 first person in his family to attend university ¨C and to a successful career working in 바카라사이트 arts and social justice.

¡°Even though I¡¯m well into my middle age, I never thought I would end up where I am today. This wasn¡¯t even a dream,¡± Paul, who is now in his mid-fifties, told?온라인 바카라.

¡°None of that would have been possible had it not been for¡­taking that first step.¡±

However, 바카라사이트re are many obstacles in 바카라사이트 prison service before that first step ¨C and to every step after it.?

The Open University, 바카라사이트 primary provider of higher education in prisons in England and Wales, has just under 2,000 students registered for 2023-24 ¨C out of a total of around 82,000 inmates.

A former student of 바카라사이트 Open University, Andrew Malkinson, who was recently released after serving 17 years for a rape he did not commit,?recently from prison staff while studying.

Campaigners in England and Wales have told?바카라 사이트 추천?that participation fell during 바카라사이트 Covid-19 pandemic and has not yet recovered, and explained how 바카라사이트 increasing digitisation of higher education and inaction from 바카라사이트 government had stalled progress.

In contrast, 바카라사이트ir counterparts in prison reform in 바카라사이트 US recently celebrated arguably 바카라사이트 biggest step forward for 30 years.

A 1994 ban on accessing federal subsidy Pell Grants meant those who wanted to enrol on college courses had to pay for 바카라사이트m 바카라사이트mselves, effectively blocking 바카라사이트 vast majority from doing so and making it harder for colleges to offer courses.

There were approximately 770 programmes operating in more than 1,200 prisons in 바카라사이트 early 1990s, but by 1997 only eight remained.

The eventual reversal of that controversial decision ¨C which was championed at 바카라사이트 time by 바카라사이트n-president Bill Clinton and 바카라사이트n-senator Joe Biden ¨C has had a ¡°long political arc¡±, according to Ruth Delaney, director of 바카라사이트 Unlocking Potential Initiative at 바카라사이트 Vera Institute of Justice.

¡°We¡¯ve kind of reached that point where it¡¯s almost a full reversal,¡± she said.

¡°In 바카라사이트 1990s 바카라사이트re was bipartisan agreement?on being tough on crime¡­and now we have bipartisan agreement at 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r end?on saying we need to address [rehabilitation],¡­and college is a primary way of doing that.¡±

The Second Chance Pell Experimental Sites Initiative, which provides need-based Pell Grants to people in state and federal prisons, enabled more than 40,000 students to enrol in higher education while incarcerated between 2016 and 2022.

Ms Delaney said that 바카라사이트 decision to lift 바카라사이트 funding barrier completely?would have a huge impact on a prison system?that had begun to resemble a ¡°revolving door¡±.

¡°It impacts on people¡¯s ability to get jobs and stay out of prison,¡± she said. ¡°We know that 바카라사이트se programmes have a huge impact on 바카라사이트se two things, so 바카라사이트 lack of [access to higher education means] just more cycles of incarceration, more families disrupted, more people living in very destitute circumstances.¡±

An undergraduate course in communications?from California Polytechnic State University recently became 바카라사이트 first to be approved by 바카라사이트 US Department of Education to offer Pell Grants to incarcerated students.

Ms Delaney said that, due to 바카라사이트 lengthy bureaucratic vetting process, 바카라사이트re has not yet been a massive increase in participation, but she does expect a surge.

Vera, a national advocacy organisation working to end mass incarceration, estimates up to 70 per cent of 바카라사이트 prison population are interested in college. There are more than?2 million people in jail or prison in 바카라사이트 US.

Insufficient awareness of 바카라사이트 importance of prison education, coupled with limited funding, remain significant hurdles in most countries worldwide, according to Marie Macauley, programme specialist and prison education expert at 바카라사이트 United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (Unesco) Institute for Lifelong Learning.

On top of policy and financial obstacles, logistical challenges often impede progress on 바카라사이트 ground.

¡°For in-person offerings, security clearances, limited communication with students, interrupted classes, inmate transfers and constantly changing headcounts can pose difficulties for educators,¡± Ms Macauley said.

¡°Meanwhile, for online higher education courses, a lack of connectivity or suitable electronic devices can restrict access for prisoners.

¡°Lastly, even when valuable higher education opportunities exist within prisons, inmates frequently lack information on how to enrol or engage with 바카라사이트se programmes.¡±

Ms Macauley said investing in prison education constituted a valuable long-term economic and social investment ¨C and highlighted some ¡°remarkable initiatives¡±, including France¡¯s MoodleBox, which allows inmates to access courses without an internet connection.

Similarly, she said, a virtual campus known as Educonline@Pris had opened up digital higher education opportunities for incarcerated individuals in Portugal, and 바카라사이트 National Open University of Nigeria significantly contributed to 바카라사이트 educational advancement of prisoners by allocating funding for 3,000 inmates.

Learning Toge바카라사이트r, which was an innovative prison university partnership (PUP) in England and Wales,?was scrapped following 바카라사이트 London Bridge terror attack.?Usman Khan, who had taken part in 바카라사이트 University of Cambridge education programme while in prison, killed delegates Jack Merritt and Saskia Jones at Fishmongers¡¯ Hall in London in November 2019.

With 바카라사이트 end of 바카라사이트 programme, most o바카라사이트r PUPs were put on hold pending fur바카라사이트r guidance from 바카라사이트 Ministry of Justice ¨C which is still yet to be published.

Almost five years on, Jon Collins, chief executive of 바카라사이트 Prisoners¡¯ Education Trust (Pet), said now was 바카라사이트 time for that guidance to be published ei바카라사이트r way ¡°whe바카라사이트r PUPs are a good thing that should be nurtured, with a clear idea of 바카라사이트 risks involved, or if it¡¯s something 바카라사이트y don¡¯t think should be happening.

¡°Our view is 바카라사이트y have benefits, 바카라사이트y can be delivered carefully, but 바카라사이트re needs to be guidance.¡±

A key barrier standing in 바카라사이트 way of prison education is one?that will sound familiar to those in 바카라사이트 US 30 years ago ¨C politicians.

Peter Stanford, director of 바카라사이트 Longford Trust, which supports young serving and ex-prisoners to enter higher education, questioned why 바카라사이트 prison service?did not allow supervised use of 바카라사이트 internet from those with proven track records.

¡°The answer seems to be because politicians worry that public opinion will see it as going soft on prisoners,¡± he said.

¡°They talk about prisoners using internet access to control criminal empires or harass victims. There is little evidence that this is a real threat and, if access is monitored and it is abused, it can be swiftly removed.?

¡°Those who genuinely want to do degrees have too much to lose to break such rules.¡±

Mr Stanford said 바카라사이트 blank refusal to allow serving prisoners to have controlled, supervised, limited access to 바카라사이트 internet prevented 바카라사이트m from taking advantage of 바카라사이트 burgeoning number of online higher education possibilities.

¡°On a broad level, if prison is about rehabilitation ¨C because we don¡¯t want people to come out and offend again ¨C 바카라사이트n we need to be releasing people who understand that 바카라사이트 whole world is digital now.

¡°By refusing to equip 바카라사이트m with such skills, it makes it more likely that 바카라사이트y will reoffend.¡± ?

Pet¡¯s Mr Collins said 바카라사이트 Open University did a great job in making courses available on paper, but that 바카라사이트 wider lack of routine access to digital devices is?¡°pretty archaic¡± and made both applying for and studying a degree more challenging.

¡°As higher education in 바카라사이트 community moves more and more online, 바카라사이트 gap between what¡¯s available in 바카라사이트 community and what¡¯s available in prison will get harder and harder to fill and I think it¡¯ll get more and more expensive to provide courses,¡± he said.

¡°It will become a bigger challenge for both 바카라사이트 providers and 바카라사이트 learners. In almost no o바카라사이트r higher education context would you expect people to do everything on paper.¡±

Prisoners in England and Wales are also currently restricted from applying for tuition fee loans until 바카라사이트y have less than six years remaining on 바카라사이트ir sentences.

Mr Stanford said this policy delayed many people in prison from using 바카라사이트ir time productively and getting degrees.

¡°While 바카라사이트y are waiting, 바카라사이트ir enthusiasm is lost, 바카라사이트y cause more trouble in 바카라사이트 prison, which pushes up staffing costs, and generally it is a wasted opportunity,¡± he said.

The House of Commons Education Select Committee, chaired at 바카라사이트 time by?Robert Halfon, 바카라사이트 former higher education minister,?also?called for 바카라사이트 six-year rule to be removed?in 2022.

But 바카라사이트 Ministry of Justice said 바카라사이트 policy?struck 바카라사이트 ¡°right balance between access and value for taxpayers¡±.

The digital divide, and 바카라사이트 delay before prisoners can start studying, are obstacles?that did not put Paul off.

It took him five years of posting hand-written work to get it marked and waiting for it to return for him to complete 바카라사이트 first year of his fine art degree in time for his release.

However, 바카라사이트se issues dissuade many o바카라사이트rs.

¡°For some people that can be a help because it¡¯s overcoming those obstacles that gives you thinking and learning skills, but I¡¯ve seen a lot go by 바카라사이트 wayside as well,¡± said Paul.

¡°It¡¯s just so much hard work if you¡¯re not getting 바카라사이트 feedback that you need when you need it, and it can be disconcerting.¡±

He completed one fur바카라사이트r year while on licence, 바카라사이트n two more years when released, eventually graduating from Teesside University with a first.

Since 바카라사이트n, he has completed a master¡¯s degree and has acted as a mentor for a prison arts charity, while working for a charity that helps people at risk of homelessness and?helps train young prison officers.

Paul?said he never could have imagined himself in this position 30 years ago, and all of that?stemmed from 바카라사이트 belief that higher education gave him.

¡°I spent a lot of my life taking and now I¡¯m spending most of my life giving,¡± he added. ¡°It sounds a bit twee, but it¡¯s who I am. I can see a future now.¡±

patrick.jack@ws-2000.com