Research findings are discussed that lead to a reassessment of popular perceptions about literacy and prisoners, particularly that the percentage of illiterate prisoners is higher than in the general population and that many prisoners are reluctant to participate in prison literacy programs. (Contains 24 references.) (LB)

From interviews with 18 low-literate prisoners, the following observations were made: few could function effectively without assistance, which was most likely to come from fellow prisoners; functioning depended on type and importance of literacy tasks to the individual and individual abilities and characteristics. The complexity within this small…

Presents a history of critical approaches to literacy from a neo-Marxist perspective; discusses the social, cultural and ideological work "literacy" has performed in the service of the "dominant discourse"; and highlights literacy's hegemonic function in Australia, Great Britain, and the United States. Argues that literacy…

Illiteracy is seen to be a feature of the Australian prisoner population. This belief has remained largely untested. A study compared the literacy abilities of prisoners to those found in the adult general population. Additionally, the study compared male and female prisoner literacy abilities. Assessments were made on a profile of literacy…

Views of former adult literacy students about their learning experience were ascertained in a study. Semistructured interviews were conducted with 68 former students from 2 adult literacy programs in the Inner West of Sydney (Australia). A literature review focused on the following topics: characteristics of adult basic education (ABE) students;…