ERIC ED357172: Correctional Education: A Way To Stay Out. Education in Correctional Centers: Findings and Recommendations.

47 Pages·1992·1.9 MB·English

by  ERIC

DOCUMENT RESUME
CE 063 437
ED 357 172
Hackett, Bessie, Comp.
AUTHOR
Correctional Education: A Way To Stay Out. Education
TITLE
in Correctional Centers: Findings and
Recommendations.
Illinois State Council on Vocational Education,
INSTITUTION
Springfield.
PUB DATE
92
48p.; Printed in blue ink on tinted stock. For the
NOTE
1990 report, see ED 333 311.
General (140)
Reports
PUB TYPE
MF01/PCO2 Plus Postage.
EDRS PRICE
Adult Education; Career Planning; *Correctional
DESCRIPTORS
Education; Correctional Institutions; *Crime
Prevention; Criminals; *Educational Benefits;
Education Work Relationship; Prisoners; Program
Descriptions; *Recidivism; State Programs; Statewide
Planning; Success; *Vocational Education; *Vocational
Rehabilitation
*Illinois
IDENTIFIERS
ABSTRACT
This report provides a look at correctional education
their
in Illinois, with special emphasis on vocational offerings and
potential to affect the reduction of crime and recidivism. The 8
commendations and 15 recommendations are directed to state staff who
include
make decisions about voc%tional programming. Recommendations
comprehensive
the following: follow through with development of a
5-year plan; conduct external team evaluations every 5 years of each
correctional center's education program; require each insLitution to
student to
develop a training-industry-education plan; require each
review programs for females;
prepare an individualized career plan;
integrate appli4d basic skills in all programs; promote stafr
and
development; extend the school day to accommodate more students;
continue to support establishment of community networks. The
of concern:
supporting documentation is arranged according to areas
evaluation,
facts and forecasts, costs and cutbacks, planning and
section
incentives, and community services and networks. An update
various
explains new transitional services for offenders, including
provided.
mentoring programs. Project title, agency, and director are
in the
Inmates' feelings about their lives in prison are compiled
14 success stories of
survey section. Included in the report are
educational
former inmates that reinforce the value of their
profile
experience while incarcerated. Appendixes include personal
forms and 16 references. (YLB)
***********************************************************************
Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that car, be made
from the original document.
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had ended. I knew my life had changed.
'When I first got incarcerated, I thought the world
goals - -goals to complete as many vocational
then I started school, and suddenly I had
. . .
employers,
have something to show my family, perspective
programs as possible... . I could
and could become someone once again. .
and friendsthat I served time constructively
vocational programs, my goals will be shattered.
But now, with the proposal of dropping
training whatsoever? Well, would you hire
What am Ito do now . . . try to find a job with no
watch
in prison and did nothing but clean toilets and
an ex-convict who served four years
soap operas?
Source: Inmate
FEDERAL FUNDING STATEMENT
101-392, The Carl D. Perkins Vocational and Applied
Federal vocational education funds provided through P.L.
by the State of Illinois Council on Vocational
Technology Education Act of 1990, were used to publish this report
Education.
CORRECTIONAL
EDUCATION: A WAY TO
STAY OUT
COMMENDATIONS
RECOMMENDATIONS FOR ILLINOIS
WITH SUPPORTING STATEMENTS
PROJECTS
SURVEY
SUCCESS STORIES
CORRECTIONS COMMITTEE
Hartzel Black, Chair
Dr. Made Mallnauskas
Percy Murdock
Rep. Gordon Ropp
Val&
Salons, Esq., ASCW
Compiled by:
Dr. Bessie Hocken
Professor Emedta
Illinois State University
for the
Illinois Council on Vocational Education
100 AIzina Bldg., 100 North First St.
Springfield, lint* 62702
Phone [phone]
Fax [phone]
1992
CONTENTS
Iii
Acronyms and Abbreviations
iv
Foreword
v
Executive Summary
COMMENDATIONS
1
2
FY 92 RECOMMENDATIONS
3
SUPPORTING STATEMENTS
3
Facts and Forecasts
6
Costs and Cutbacks
10
Planning and Evaluation
14
incentives
15
Community Services and Networks
19
ILLINOIS PROJECT UPDATE
19
FY '91 Criminal Offender Projects
24
FY '92 Criminal Offender Projects
25
INMATES' RESPONSES TO SURVEY
29
SUCCESS STORIES
APPENDICES
33
34
Personal Profile Forms
38
ICoVE Corrections Hearing Participants
39
References
40
Illinois' Prison Population
ICoVE Membership
ACRONYMS AND ABBREVIATIONS
GED - General Education Development (alternative
ABE - Adult Basic Education (skills development
to high school graduation)
program)
ICoVE - Illinois Council on Vocational Education
Carl Perkins Act - Cad Perkins Vocational and
Applied Technology Act of 1990
ICJ - Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority
CEA - Correctional Education Association
ISBE - Illinois State Board of Education
Department of Adult, Vocational, and
DAVTE
Job Training Partnership Act
Technical Education
TIE - Training, Industry, and Education Program
DOC . Department of Corrections
FOREWORD
numerous reports with recommendations re-
THE CORRECTIONS COMMITTEE of the III -
lated to curriculum, service provided, teaching
nois Council on Vocational Education (ICoVE)
staff, laboratory safety, equipment, and other
has developed this publication as a result of:
areas related to correctional education. These
eight on-site visits to state correctional
recommendations have been well received and
institutions;
acted upon by DOC.
attendance at state and national
meetings;
DR. BESSIE HACKETT, Professor Emerita at
interviews with wardens, directors of
Illinois State University has served as a consult-
education, teachers, and inmates;
ant and writer for this publication in addition to
serving on committees related to correc-
the four previous ones.
tional oduceon;
meeting with representatives from the
THE STATE OF ILLINOIS continues to experi-
judicial system, job service, and Illinois
ence a significant growth in its prison popula-
State Board of Education; and
In the past 24 months the number of
tion.
public hearings on correctional educa-
inmates has increased by over 3300 in spite of
tion.
new legislation which has allowed for early
releases. Recidivism is one of the major rea-
K...NE IS MOST APPRECIATIVE of the coop-
sons for this ever growing problem. Preview
eration it has had by the Department of Correc-
studies completed by ICoVE indicate that a
tions (DOC), Illinois State Board of Education,
releases who attains a high school diploma and
and the many others who are involved with
some vocational training is more likely to be
correctional education and the rehabilitation of
successful in the real world than one who just
the citizens who have been, or are presently,
does time and returns to society no better than
inmates at one of the state's 31 correctional
he/she went to prison.
facilities. They have been most helpful in pro-
viding information and making suggestions for
ICoVE CONTINUES TO SUPPORT an ex-
the continued successes of the Department of
panded educational system in the prison sys-
Correction's educational program.
tem. Education is an investment that will pay
ICoVE HAS SERVED as the advisory counci
more dividends than building more prisons.
for vocational, techrecal, and adult education at
the request of the Illinois Department of Correc-
Peter Johnson
tions since 1980. As a result of this responsibil-
Executive Director
ity, the Corrections Committee has visited over
20 state correctional institutions and developed
III
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
documentation is arranged according to areas
THE 1992 EDITION OF A WAY TO STAY OUT
of concern: Facts and Forecasts, Costs and
provides a look at correctional education in the
Cutbacks, Planning and Evaluation, Incentives,
State of Illinois, with special emphasis on voca-
and Community Services and Networks.
tional offerings and their potential to impact on
the reduction of clime and recidivism.
NEW TRANSITIONAL SERVICES for offend-
THE ILLINOIS COUNCIL ON VOCATIONAL
ers. including various mentoring programs, are
EDUCATION, through its Corrections Commit-
explained in the section on Illinois Project Up-
tee, has conducted on-going studies of the
Inmates' feelings about their lives in
date.
state's vocational programs and services within
prison are compiled in the Survey section. The
correctional institutions and in the community.
Success Stories of former inmates reinforce the
The 1991-92 Corrections Committee was
value of their educational experience while in-
chaired by Hartzel Black and included Dr. Marie
carcerated.
Malinauskas, Percy Murdock, Rep. Gordon
Ropp, and Valee Salon. These individuals
THE PRISON POPULATION EXPLOSION is
have visited prisons, conferred with corrections
creating aftershocks of powerful proportions:
personnel, talked with inmates, met with state
stress in bulging institutions, strain on security,
staff, attended conferences, solicited testi-
scramble for more dollars and space, pressure
mony, held public hearings, reviewed reports,
for early release, push for alternative sentenc-
and shared their findings at Council meetings.
ing, cuts in correctional programs, shut-down of
vocational classes, and alarm among all con-
THE COMMENDATIONS AND RECOMMEN-
cerned. Reactions to this threatening situation
DATIONS presented in this issue are a result
are reflected throughout this publication.
of serious deliberation by the Council. They are
directed to state staff who make decisions
about vocational programming. The supporting
lv
COMMENDATIONS
back for corrections educators by recog-
1. Illinois correctional educators shamed fore-
nizing outstanding contributions and spe-
sight and commitment in arranging to host
cial achievements.
the 1993 National Corrections Education
Associagon (NCEA) Conference in Chi-
6. The State Board of Education and the De-
cago,
partment of Corrections have continued to
support correctional education through re-
2. District 428 Board of Education is meeting
search and development projects and net-
regularly, functioning effectively, and mak-
working probation programs, which
ing recommendations for needed program
include placement, counseling, transition,
improvement.
family bonding, and mentoring services.
3. The computerized offender tracking sys-
tem (OTS), with Its capability of retrieving
7. In cooperation with the Department of Cor-
valid statistics and records, has devel-
rections, the State Board of Education
oped into a useful tool for corrections per-
made a wise decision to use Cad Perkins
1 percent funds for innovative projects.
sonnel.
4. The establishment of Pre-Start, a life skill
8.The publication of the Illinois Criminal Jus-
training program, is an important curricular
tice Information Authority, TRENDS AND
enhancement.
ISSUES 91 is significant in its content and
deserves both state and national attention.
5. The School District 428 Institute, held in
Decztur, provided a welcome pat-on-the-
1
FY92 RECOMMENDATIONS
the use of instructional technologies
1. Follow through with the development of a
that suppurt new ways of interacting
comprehensive five-year plan for state-
with students; and
wide correctional education, Involving the
the understanding of the principles of
State Board of Education, the Illinois Com-
high performance as they are applied in
munity College Board, and the Illinois
the modem workplace.
Board of Higher Education. Include meth-
ods and criteria for the addition and dele-
9. Extend the school day to accommodate
tion of programs.
more students. Consider using adult edu-
2. Conduct external team evaluations once
cation funds and making part-time contrac-
every five years of each Correctional Cen-
tual arrangements with outside
ters education program, including serv-
educational delivery systems.
ices for job placement and follow-up.
10. Give high priority to transferring inmates
Include among team members secondary
on the basis of their career plan and speci-
and postsecondary educators and private-
fic programmatic needs.
sector employers.
11. Consider requiring inmates due to be re-
3. Require each institution to develop and im-
leased within three years to enroll in a
plement a TIE (Training-Industry-Educa-
work-study program. Evaluate the in-
tion) plan that encompasses academic
mates' performance in job assignments
and vocational education programs, as
and use this information in the develop-
well as, industry and job assignments.
ment of their transitional portfolios.
4. Revise the present inmate pay structure
for institutional jobs so as to provide realis-
12. Continue to encourage and support the
establishment of community networks of
tic financial incentives, in addition to good -
criminal, social service, and educational
time incentives, for educational
agencies to assist criminal offenders In be-
assignments.
coming productive citizens.
5. Require each student to prepare an indi-
vidualized career plan (ICP) for time of in-
13. Require local education agencies and
carceration and after release. Give
education for employment systems to ad-
attention to special needs inmates. Fol-
dress the delivery of services to offenders
low the Cad D. Perkins' legislative man-
in the community in their vocational plans.
dates on services for special populations.
Include within plans procedures for net-
working with probation, parole, and
6. Review programs for females in terms of
agency personnel as well as administra-
their unique needs, with special emphasis
tive policies addressing the recruitment
given to career planning and transitional
and retention of the offender in the educa-
services.
tional setting.
7. Integrate applied basic skills in all voca-
14. Continue to pursue sources of federal
tional and academic courses and man-
funding for both academic and vocational
date activities that require students to
program.
read, wrfte, compute, apply scientific prin-
ciples and reasoning concerning specific
15. Continue to support the utilization of the
real world experiences.
1% Carl Perkins' allocation for projects
which will reduce recidivism and enhance
8. Promote staff development activities
the inmates' opportunities to succeed in
which will assist teachers In:
the real world.
the development of active, collabora-
tive, learning environments;
2
i")
SUPPORTING STATEMENTS
FACTS AND FORECASTS
(Re/commendations #1, #2, and #15)
Illinois has constructed 14 prisons in the last
According to the Illinois Department of Corrections,
It is clear we cannot build our way
there were over 30,500 inmates in Illinois
14 years.
out of the prison overavwding problem.
prisons as of June 30,1992. Prison capacity at
this time was 20,433 beds. Of those incarcer-
'Throng; rout the nation states are exploring
ated, 1,348 were women (4.41 percent).
new ways to protect society from dangerous
offenders in an affordable manner that does not
CROWDING. 'Most criminal justice officials con-
require a general tax increase.'
cede that building new prisons is not the only
answer to prison crowding. According to con-
'Those of us who are charged with protecting
servative estimates by IDOC, the state would
the public safety shoukl not anti be tougher but
need 26 more prisons, at a cost of $1.4 billion,
also be smarter. We need to assure that violent
to keep pace with the rising inmate population
offenders remain locked up while others are
during the next five years.' (ICJ Information
better prepared to re-enter society. We need to
Authority)
make sure that prison employees, as well as
the general public, are protected to the greatest
ON APPOINTMENT OF TASK FORCE ON
extent possible.' (Edgar)
PRISON OVERCROWDING. "The safety of
the public will be the foremost concern of this
"Florida, the fourth ranking state in total popu-
task force as it addresses the problem of prison
lation (1990), has the highest crime rate per
overcrowding. We will continue to put danger-
100,000 people of any state in the nation. There
ous criminals behind bars and keep them there.
Flor-
are presently about 46,000 inmates in the
But we need to find innovative, cost-effective
ida Department of Corrections institutions, and
alternatives to building one prison after another.
this number is expected to grow substantially
Several new correctional
by the year 2000.
institutions are being constructed and could
3