This paper illustrates the approach of co-creating education where co-creation was an important aspect of the curriculum design. It makes a case for prison-university partnerships through two pedagogical case studies -- one within a prison setting with a focus on soft skills acquisition and another in a Higher Education setting focusing on…

Prepared for the Boston Foundation and signed onto by nearly two dozen representatives from across the political spectrum, "Unlocking College: Strengthening Massachusetts' Commitment to College in Prison" explores the landscape of educational opportunities in Massachusetts prisons. The report finds that despite evidence that educational…

The federal prison system provides a number of opportunities for inmates to further their education. These prospects can be made available at the prison and can include, college correspondence, the formal classroom, or at the inmate's cell in the special housing unit (SHU). While it is common for inmates to receive a more appropriate education at…

This essay argues that while fostering individual and collaborative literacy can indeed promote self-awareness, confidence, and political awareness, the threat of emotional and material retribution is ever-present in jail, making the development of infrastructure challenging. Such reality compels engaged teacher-researchers to develop tactical…

The transition to and from juvenile justice settings is a complex and challenging process. Effectively preparing juvenile justice personnel to address the transition needs of incarcerated students is an essential aspect of reducing the negative effects of the school-to-prison pipeline. This article examines program and professional development…

This article examines the development and the legacy of a policy making experience that was undertaken in Brazil from 2004 to 2006, under a project labelled "Educating for Freedom". The project sought to provide prison inmates with access to education. It was carried out by a coalition that comprised the Ministry of Education, the…

Addresses two questions: (1) What is the need for providing specialized education services to the handicapped students in correctional settings? (2) And given that the need exists, what are the implications of developing such programs? (CT)

The Office of Juvenile and Delinquency Prevention funded a model designed to improve the literacy level of youth in juvenile detention and correctional facilities. The model specified training language arts teachers and relevant staff and volunteers in direct instruction methods for rapid improvement of students' comprehension, particularly for…

Presents preliminary evaluation findings from Florida's Juvenile Justice Educational Enhancement Program that explore the relationships between educational program quality and program characteristics. Several program characteristics are found to be related to measurements of educational program quality, including proportion of teachers who are…

Describes two stages of the Juvenile Justice Educational Enhancement Program's pre-, post-, and longitudinal evaluation research and reports on the pilot studies used to explore how to design statewide research on pre- and post-assessment scores and community reintegration outcomes. Findings suggest that higher performing programs produce greater…

Correctional education programs for incarcerated adults have been an object of much discussion. While such programs appear to be readily available to incarcerated individuals, little information is known about the instructional characteristics of such programs. The purpose of this survey was to describe the characteristics of instructional…

Examines the role of politics in the Juvenile Justice Educational Enhancement Program's effort to use evaluation research data to inform Florida's juvenile justice education policies and practices. Two examples illustrate that by maintaining an overriding commitment to its evaluation research purpose, the Juvenile Justice Educational Enhancement…

The Gabriel Dumont Community Training Residence (CTR) in Saskatoon (Saskatchewan, Canada) seeks to facilitate the transition of female offenders back into society. The residence will be the first of its type in Saskatchewan. The majority of women eligible for the program are Native Americans; thus the program will address the specific needs of…

This study was conducted to accomplish four objectives: (1) determine the current status of vocational education services available to youth under the custody of the Massachusetts Department of Youth Services (DYS); (2) assess the characteristics of DYS youth and their need for additional vocational programs; (3) determine employer and labor union…

The Kennedy Children's Room and Family Center Program was developed by the joint endeavors of faculty from West Virginia University and personnel at the Kennedy Center Federal Correctional Institution, Morgantown, West Virginia. Goals are (1) to develop and implement a model training program which focuses on fostering and enhancing effective…