Access to higher education denied
Studies reveal the wide-ranging benefits for community when people in prison undertake university and other higher level study. However, access to higher education in SA prisons is denied. The Department for Correctional Services in South Australia (DCS) maintain an outdated narrative suggesting the greatest benefit is seen by teaching basic numeracy and literacy to prisoners. This narrative is based on faulty data and a narrow and pessimistic view of the true capabilities of many people in prison.
Why no university courses in SA Prisons?
Many believe the true reason for DCS’s reluctance to provide access to University courses is due to resentment of the idea that prisoners may be better educated than prison staff. Others believe there might be an increase in identification of staff incompetence by educated prisoners. It is reported that there is a significant cohort of middle management staff who despise prisoners that seek to access higher education.
DCS have shown to have a narrow view of higher education. They often tell people in prison that there is no point in studying for a degree as the usual avenues for employment are not open to people with criminal convictions. One particular senior manager at Mobilong Prison was regularly overheard saying ‘we don’t teach anything but basic numeracy and literacy because we don’t want smarter criminals’.
The truth is that higher education programs often have wide ranging benefits further than the typical use. For example, law degrees can be used for much more than simply becoming a lawyer in the usual sense. Studies across varying jurisdictions have repeatedly found that higher education significantly reduces recidivism.
Check out this video – it is made in America but it’s principles apply to some extent in South Australia.
What is currently on offer?
The Good
DCS currently runs a program called Work Ready Release Ready. This has proven to be helpful to people being released from prison. DCS also offer lower-level certificate II courses, also benefiting the minority who are lucky enough to get a position on them. These programs are limited in scope. Plus, there are very limited positions available and are only suited to a very limited number of people.
The Bad
The current programs does not go far enough to deal with the extreme boredom and lack of meaningful activities for long-term prisoners. They restrict rehabilitation to a narrow avenue that is far from being suitable for many. While DCS understands the importance for people to be involved in meaningful activities to reduce risk of mental health and drug abuse – they contradict their own teachings.
In their contradiction, DCS prioritise mind-numbing factory work rather than education. Corporate deals for cheap labour by prisoners is taken advantage of by companies like Hegs Pegs. The bargain labour costs sees prisoners paid around $2 per day.
The Ugly
This factory-type work makes up the bulk of employment positions at prisons such as Mobilong Prison. The profit of this slave labour is so good that it is the only industry at Mobilong that has a morning and afternoon shift. It is facilitated under a misleading premise that prisoners are being provided ‘skills’ necessary for finding employment in the community.
For example, the work required to fill the Hegs Pegs contract requires prisoners to sit in a seat for the entire shift, placing a clip on the peg. One peg at a time for an entire shift. Another of the jobs requires unpacking products from a mislabeled box and then re-packing the products. These are not tasks that require training or build skills necessary for employment. There is no learning or skill development. It is mind-numbing, profit-focused labour.
The mind-numbing boredom is so demoralising that one prisoner poured boiling hot water over his hands deliberately so that he did not have to work in such boring roles. In another incident, a prisoner experiencing mental health issues shot himself in the head with a nail gun and had to be rushed to hospital.
What about computer access?
Computer access in SA Prisons is poor and contributes to digital illiteracy. The claim by DCS that prisoners have adequate access to computers is false. Computer access is denied or extremely limited in most prison units. In units where there is access to computers, such access is reserved for prisoners who are enrolled in basic numeracy and literacy programs.
The problem with this is two fold: The first is that a significant portion of these programs do not require computer use. The second is that many of the computers are located in the classrooms reserved for these basic numeracy and literacy programs. This means these computers often sit unused and unable to be used by other prisoners seeking to access.
Furthermore, it is almost impossible for prisoners to gain adequate access to a computer to prepare for legal matters. Take Mobilong Prison as an example. It houses almost 500 prisoners but, under orders of the General Manager, limits computer access for personal and legal matters to 2-hours per week, and only on Friday afternoons. Furthermore, the access is limited to just 6-8 computers.
Most people in prison have low to average computer skills, meaning 2-hours is not enough time for them to type up a basic letter, let alone prepare legal documents. This time restriction makes attempts at using computers for typing up documents or self-directed learning futile.
What’s happening in other States and Territories
Prison authorities in other states and territories around Australia have accepted the benefits of offering higher education. Most provide better access to computers and other devices to assist in effective rehabilitation and reintegration. For example, during 2020, NSW Prisons introduced tablets for all prisoners to access in cells.
NSW have also installed computers with internet access in a pre-release prison, which prisoners can access for university courses. Victoria offer prisoners access to in-cell computers to prepare for legal matters. ACT provide prisoners access to in-cell computers for education programs. It has been proven that higher education significantly decreases the likelihood of re-offending. For further info, read Professor Jim Nyland’s article here (University of Southern Qld).
South Australia should get with the program! Help make our community safer by supporting higher education in SA prisons. Share your support by emailing the Minister of Correctional Services at Minister.Cregan@sa.gov.au or Chief Executive of the DCS at DCS@sa.gov.au.
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