Education in Prison and Correctional Facilities

Why Should Prisons and Correctional Facilities Offer Better Educational Opportunities and Courses to Criminals? 

 Everyone views prisons and other facilities in some sort of way. Some see it as a way to keep delinquents and felons out of your neighborhoods and society in general. Others may see these facilities as a second chance to those who did wrong in their past. Ultimately, the people incarcerated in these buildings are all there to serve time for a crime they have committed. These people are stripped of most of their rights and are put away in cells for periods of time. Why not help prepare themselves for a better life when they are released? In some areas of the United States financial cuts are being made in prison making it more difficult to fund educational programs. However, there are many benefits to offering educational opportunities and courses to inmates.

1. Reduces the Chances of Ex-Prisoners Going Back To Prison

  First of all, according to the Bureau of Justice Statistics,reports have shown that in 2005 an estimated "two-thirds of 405,000 prisoners were arrested for a new crime within five years." With a criminal history it is harder to keep up in today's society and very difficult to find a substantial job for many former inmates. As a result, many of these ex-prisoners revert back to their old ways and end up back in system. This cycle is extremely detrimental to not only the inmates but taxpayers as well. By instituting better education programs, more opportunities would open up for former prisoners so they won't end up back in a cell.

2. Decrease of Violence in Prisons 

 Secondly, many prisons that already have educational courses available have seen an improvement in behavior and a decline in violence. With an opportunity to receive a GED or any other academic advancement, these prisoners now feel like they have a purpose and will stay out of trouble to accomplish their goals. Aileen Baumgartner, a professor at the Bedford Hills College Program, claims inmates would monitor one another "in fear of losing the program permanently". These programs bring the inmates together and create a safer environment for both the prisoners and workers.

3. Allows Prisoners a Head Start for an Easier Future 

 Lastly, every inmate's sentence varies in length from one another. Some are only in prison for a short amount of time and others will spend a majority of their lives in a cell. Time is something no one can get back so why not make something out of a situation like this? Jason War, a former prisoner, points out that he was able to accumulate enough credits to receive an "unconditional offer for a degree place in the subject at the London School of Economics".  This was all done while he was incarcerated. Instead of being jobless and vulnerable, War left prison prepared.


 In conclusion, there are many benefits to having educational courses being held in prisons. However, many people overlook these opportunities simply because it is benefiting those who have committed crimes and have made mistakes in their lifetimes. Not only will these programs help the incarcerated, it will also greatly improve communities.