Literacy and Incarcerated Juveniles

Introduction

Juvenile prisoners on the whole are less educated than the general population. According to the Bureau of Justice Statistics, in 1997, nearly 75% of state prisoners and 59% of federal Juvenile prisoners had not completed high school. About 13% of all prisoners had some postsecondary education, compared with 48% of the general population. To counter that lack of education, many prisons offer education programs for their inmates. Prison education programs can offer classes at all levels, from basic skills, special education and English as a second language, to high school, college and even postgraduate courses. The programs take various forms. Juvenile Prisoners might attend classes in classrooms created within the facility, take classes over the Internet through distance-learning programs, or, in the case of death row inmates, learn in their cells, separated from their teachers by bars (Hill & Lipsey, 172-77).

Discussion

History of Prison Education

Prison education in the U.S. dates back nearly 125 years, to 1879, when clergyman William Rogers began instructing prisoners at Walnut Street Jail in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. However, college instruction for Juvenile prisoners was not instituted until 1953, when Southern Illinois University became the first higher learning institution in the country to matriculate a prison inmate (DeBoer & Glass, 15-28).

Supporters Say Education Reduces Recidivism

Supporters of college education programs for Juvenile prisoners contend that the programs significantly reduce recidivism by preparing inmates for life after prison. They point out that prisoners are less well-educated than the general population. If Juvenile prisoners are not educated, supporters argue, once they are released from prison they will not be able to get jobs, and will have no other option but to return to a life of crime (Hedges & Hedberg, 1-15).

Opponents Decry 'Coddling' of Prisoners

Critics argue that the prison system should punish wrongdoers, not reward criminals with "perks" such as ...