I agree, education DOES help prevent recidivism. Prisons don't have to just offer TV courses, they could also do correspondence programs.

They could also offer online programs in a classroom, allowing access to select websites to do research, all while monitoring the computers. Offering online programs, inmates are still exposed to modern technology, making it an easier transition to reintegrate back into society when released.

A lot of prisons in Europe concentrate on rehabilitation. It only makes sense since it reduces recidivism.

klw,

Yes, that is true, but you cannot have all the hatred and anger toward inmates as our society seems to enjoy if you concentrate on rehabilitation rather than retribution.

We will never cure our prison problem as long as we concentrate on strictly punishment and don't offer a chance at rehabilitation in the form of education and the tools inmates need once they are released to be successful in society.

This country continues to think that it can just arrest its way out of its crime problem, but that is not possible. We keep building more prisons, spending more money, and using more resources to keep more and more people in prison for longer periods of time. What is our reward for this policy? Absolutely nothing.

I hope we can turn this around someday.

rewdiazepam

i know that some of what i have read about the various offerings at the prisons definitely sound like they suck.

but mainly i only know for sure what kelly have written home to me about. they have very little in the way of programs where she is at and that they are hard to get into. she said if it wasn't for the tv's and her love of reading that she would go totally insane from boredom.

i guess the 'programs' offered there is in line with the medical situation. almost 2,000 women, 1 full time doctor who is 2 1/2months behind, 1 dentist and no gyno on staff.