Introduction
Within the last few decades, the aim of penal institutions has shifted from punitive to rehabilitative in public discourse. Recent studies have demonstrated that the causes of crime are rooted in a lack of education and meaningful employment opportunities. It has been proven that an important component of rehabilitation and reducing recidivism is providing inmates with educational resources that would improve their job prospects upon release. Furthermore, it is estimated that the United States saves five dollars on future reincarceration costs with every dollar spent on correctional education (Scott, 2018). If I were a prison administrator in a female facility with unlimited resources, I would include a General Education Development (GED) program and assorted art, humanities, and soft skills courses in my curriculum.
General Education Development Program in Female Prison
Firstly, a GED program would help combat the low level of educational attainment and weak work histories in incarcerated populations. These two factors have historically been obstacles to employment for former inmates. However, the GED is an opportunity to gain an academic certification for those without a high school diploma and thus one of the most popular correctional programs. An analysis of labor market returns shows that former inmates with GED credentials had higher earnings and employment in the five years after release—an increase of as much as 25 to 30 percent (Darolia, Mueser & Cronin, 2021). A GED program is the standard approach for improving prisoner rehabilitation by increasing employability.
Secondly, I would institute high-school-level arts and humanities courses. Literature and philosophy classes are critical for developing empathy, critical thinking, and self-reflection. Since most inmates grow up in environments of violence and intergenerational poverty, it is important for them to participate in transformational learning that challenges their previously assimilated beliefs and values about the world (Dewey et al., 2019). Moreover, this humanities education would be supplemented with art therapy and memoir writing workshops. Engaging in creative practices has been proven to improve the quality of life for prisoners by encouraging positive self-expression (Dewey et al., 2019). Memoir writing specifically has been shown to contribute to the intellectual development and personal growth of incarcerated women by reframing their self-perspective and improving self-esteem (Dewey et al., 2019). Arts and humanities education has transformative capabilities that would foster self-reflection and a more positive self-identity.
Thirdly, courses on soft skills would help inmates make practical plans for life after release from prison. For example, it would be beneficial to initiate a program on financial literacy focused on personal finance, budgeting, building good credit ratings, and obtaining affordable housing. Studies have shown that incarcerated women have a substandard comprehension of finance and fall victim to predatory lenders at a disproportionately high rate, displaying the need for financial education and risk-averse behavior modeling (Glidden et al., 2018). Other soft skills training such as public speaking, time management, passing job interviews, and teamwork would help prisoners transition smoothly into society.
Conclusion
In conclusion, if I were a superintendent in a women’s correctional facility, I would institute a GED program and fund courses in the arts, humanities, and soft skills. Various studies have proven the efficacy of these measures in reducing recidivism and improving prisoners’ self-perspective. A GED is the standard correctional program to enhance inmates’ employability and increase earnings after release. Humanities and the arts would form a more positive self-identity by encouraging self-reflection, critical thinking, and empathy. Soft skills courses such as financial literacy would enable incarcerated women to prepare for the practical aspects of life after release. In tandem, I believe these three educational programs would meaningfully contribute to the lives of previously incarcerated women and society at large.
References
Darolia, R., Mueser, P., & Cronin, J. (2021). Labor market returns to a prison GED. Economics of Education Review, 82, 1-27.
Dewey, S., Muthig, A. J., Colter, R. S., & Brock, K. (2019). Art and mindfulness behind bars: examples from Wyoming prison-based courses on memoir and stoic philosophy. The Prison Journal, 99(4), 61S-83S.
Glidden, M. D., Brown, T. C., Smith, M., & Hughes, M. H. (2020). Prisoners with Purses: The Financial Literacy and Habits of Incarcerated Women. Corrections, 5(5), 377-400.
Scott, R. (2018). The concept of reducing recidivism via college-in-prison: Thoughts on data collection, methodology, and the question of purpose. Critical Education, 9(18), 1-14.