The Higher and Distance Education in Prison Research Group (HDEPRG) is based in the Centre for Research in Education and Educational Technology at the Open University (OU) in the UK. It was established in March 2011 and is affiliated to the International Centre for Comparative Criminology Research (ICCCR) based in the Social Science Faculty which is formally partnered with the Centre for Crime and Justice Studies. See main site.
There are many challenges to providing higher and distance education in a secure environment, not least of which is related to the limited access and use of new technologies. The aim of this Research Group is to provide a platform for those who research in this cross-disciplinary field. It has a diverse membership and draws on expertise from staff (including Associate Lecturers) and students across the OU as well as researchers in other Universities in the UK and beyond.
The classroom-based education in prisons in the UK concentrates on addressing basic literacy and numeracy needs and is not considered sufficient to meet many prisoners’ personal or employment needs. Distance learning provides a higher level learning option to potentially equip prisoners with better qualifications, skills and values for a crime-free future on release. The actual number of prisoners studying through distance learning is unknown as insufficient data is collected at present, however it could be up to 4000 prisoners per year which is approximately 2% of the prison population. The Open University is the largest provider of HE distance learning courses to prisoners with currently around 1500 OU students in more than 150 prisons across the UK and Ireland, studying over 200 courses across all faculties. There are however many other providers.
On the main site you will find information on the wide range of research currently being carried out into higher and distance education in prison as well as some of the OU’s initiatives to improve support for prisoners. Useful links to resources and relevant organisations are also provided. Discussion forums will soon appear here.
Higher education in prison
This is a new research group for those interested in all aspects of higher and distance education for students in prison (see main site http://hdeprg.wordpress.com ).
What is your connection to this field? Have you completed any research on this or related topics? Do you work in this field? Is it really worth-while? Does it really provide student-inmates with renewed confidence and values for a crime-free future on release?
This is a new research group for those interested in all aspects of higher and distance education for students in prison (see main site http://hdeprg.wordpress.com ). What is your connection to this field? Have you completed any research on this or related topics? Do you work in this field? Is it really worth-while? Does it really provide student-inmates with renewed confidence ...
