Abstract:
The low educational attainment of high numbers of prisoners in England and Wales is well documented, with the basic skills of literacy and numeracy being particularly problematic. The education of prisoners is a high priority for the UK prison system. Improvement in literacy and numeracy and the attainment of qualifications and job skills are seen to be a mechanism for finding employment on release, something which is known to help convicted offenders avoid further offending. Involvement in education also helps prisons to achieve their targets for prisoner engagement in ‘constructive activity’ during their period of detention. Despite numerous policy initiatives and additional resources that have been provided for this education, the take-up by prisoners is relatively low. There are many reasons for this but often mentioned are previous negative experiences of education, and an unwillingness to publicly admit the need for such education. In-cell learning in private is one potential means of overcoming these resistances, and the use of interactive digital television holds the promise of being an innovative and secure medium for the delivery of such education. This paper outlines the current position in relation to prisoner education in England, the difficulties of engaging the prisoners who need education the most, and the arguments for the provision of in-cell learning via interactive digital television.
