Project helped prisoners connect with their families
Published: 19 July 2023
Research insight
The UK prison population has increased by more than two-thirds since 1990, with over 78,000 people now serving sentences.
Dr Yvonne Skipper, Senior Lecturer in Psychology (Education), at the University of Glasgow research shows that taking educational classes in prison can help people adjust to life behind bars and reduce the chances of them re-offending.
Every prison has an education department that offers academic courses like literacy and numeracy, as well as vocational courses like carpentry and bricklaying. However, the number of people participating in prison education is declining because it is often seen as unimportant and underfunded. Therefore, it is important to develop engaging educational activities in prisons.
One way to do this is to link education with family activities. About half of the people in prison have children. Maintaining strong relationships between parents and their children during a sentence can reduce re-offending and help people reintegrate with their families after release. It can also help children cope with having a loved one in prison.
Read more on The Conversation website
First published: 19 July 2023