Current situation

There are 136 prisons in England and Wales with an approximate population of 73 000.

80% of prisoners have writing skills at or below the level of an 11 year-old child and 50% have reading skills below this level. National figures show the same levels to be 13%.

Education achievements are measured nationally within the prison service by Key Performance Indicators.

In 2003, prisoners achieved 41 313 basic skills awards significantly exceeding the target of 28 800.

There are approximately 73 000 prisoners currently serving time in 136 prisons in England and Wales. Criminology and social research shows that 80% of prisoners have writing skills and 50% reading skills at or below the level of an 11-year-old child (Social Exclusion Unit 2002 : 6). Compared with the national figure of 13% of adults at or below this standard (Skills and Enterprise 1991 : 1) this clearly demonstrates a link between difficulties with basic literacy skills and the general population of our prisons.

This has put the teaching of basic skills directly in line with the need to address offender behaviour and reconviction rates, issues central to the challenges faced by the Criminal Justice System. Criminology and social research have linked dealing with low basic skills literacy and offending behaviour to a reduction in re-offending and conviction. Evidence-based research also indicates that before they ever come into contact with the prison system, most prisoners have a history of social exclusion, including high levels of family, educational and health disadvantages. The failure of mainstream agencies to deal with these aspects of social exclusion leaves the Prison Service and its associated agencies with the task of ‘putting right’ a lifetime of service failure.

So what are the challenges for prisoner education?

Historically, education for prisoners was viewed as a moral entitlement or a means of keeping prisoners occupied. So how did this turn into providing them with the necessary skills for employment?

The Department for Education and Skills and the National Learning and Skills Council stated that all individuals are entitled to equality of opportunity. They have included prisoners within their strategy with the intention of improving the skills level of the whole workforce. They want to ensure that on release more offenders are equipped with the relevant skills and qualifications for work.

In April 2001, the Offender Learning and Skills Unit for England and Wales was established within the Department of Education and Skills to ensure that prisoner education is learner focused and provides evidence of continual improvement.

The Prison Service has to prove to the public that providing education and skills programmes will succeed in turning the majority of offenders away from crime. If not, this strategy may be viewed as simply filling our prisons with more educated offenders. The reality is that a history of mainstream provision has so far failed to provide the majority of the prison population with basic levels of adult and social skills, leaving them excluded from 95% of available jobs.

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