Your comment post should be at least 350 words this week due Thursday by 11:59 pm (worth 70 points) and you will be responsible for responding (respectfully) to one of your classmates in at least a one paragraph reply entries by Sunday at 11:59 pm (worth 30 points).
Should prisoners be given the opportunity to get an education?
States are finally backing away from the draconian sentencing policies that swept the country at the end of the last century, driving up prison costs and sending too many people to jail for too long, often for nonviolent offenses. Many are now trying to turn around the prison juggernaut by steering drug addicts into treatment instead of jail and retooling parole systems that once sent people back to prison for technical violations.
But the most effective way to keep people out of prison once they leave is to give them jobs skills that make them marketable employees. That, in turn, means restarting prison education programs that were shuttered beginning in the 1990s, when federal and state legislators cut funding to show how tough they were on crime.
President Obama pointed the country in the right direction last year by creating a pilot program that will allow a limited number of inmates to receive federal Pell Grants to take college courses behind bars. The program will include colleges that either run prison education programs or want to start them. So far, more than 200 schools in 47 states have expressed interest.
Alex Schwartz, one of our Student Council members, agrees with the Times editorial:
The editorial board makes a very compelling case for investing in a solid higher education system for prisoners. It made me think about the roles of inmates in society once they are released from prison, and how we should really be considering that when looking at criminal justice reform. It’s not just about improving inmates’ experiences in prison; it’s making sure that they’re on their feet once they’re released.
But, not everyone supports this line of thinking. In 2014, when Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo made a proposal that would have set aside $1 million in a state corrections budget of $2.8 billion to finance college education programs behind bars in New York, a vocal opposition scuttled the idea. Here is what The Times reported then:
In Albany, lawmakers started petitions to collect signatures from constituents who oppose the idea, including one with the title “Hell No to Attica University.” The State Senate, which is controlled by Republicans and a group of independent Democrats, included in its draft of the budget a provision that forbade the use of state money to pay for college degree programs in prisons unless inmates pay the full tuition.
The idea provoked outrage in Washington: Three Republican congressmen from upstate New York introduced what they called the Kids Before Cons Act, which would prevent federal money from being used to pay for college classes for federal or state prison inmates.
The proposal also gave fodder to Rob Astorino, the Westchester County executive, who is campaigning to unseat Mr. Cuomo in November. During a recent visit to Buffalo, Mr. Astorino, a Republican, spoke about how he and his wife were saving to pay for their children to go to college. “Maybe our 10-year-old son, we should sit him down and explain how to rob a bank,” Mr. Astorino said.
Students: Read both articles, then answer the questions below:
— What do you think? Should prisoners be given the opportunity to get an education?
— Does providing prisoners with the chance to take college courses in prison help them get a leg up when they are released? Does it help prevent inmates from landing back in jail later on?
— Do you trust the research, cited in the editorial, that shows money spent on prison education actually saves the government money in the long run because prisoners are less likely to get wrapped up in the criminal justice system again?
— Or do you think any money spent on prison education programs takes away from money that could be spent on education for law-abiding citizens?
— Do you agree with Mr. Astorino, the Westchester County executive, who argued that investing money in prison education sends the wrong message to hard-working families? Why?
I have never been in prison, I have never seen inside a prison, besides on T.V. I have no idea what it is like in a prison, since so many people become enrolled in the prison system before/ while they are in high school. Yes, I believe they should still be able to learn a trade with the time that they have, so when they get out they can actually get a chance to explore their options. I think that being a prisoner is not something everyone should be put in like not all people doing drugs need to be put in prison, all they need is a little help or maybe some motivation! Honestly, people in prison are mainly their because they were or are in a rough patch of their life had no money and needed something to do, and had no options so they did something illegal to get put in prison to not live on the streets. The prison system adding schools and opportunities for certain people would be good since they can get a good idea as to what they want to do and not want to be in the prison system for the rest of their life; while doing time in a prison they can get started learning something that they might be interested in. Prisoners being incarcerated and taking classes for a college gives them a leg up in the world because what they were doing before might not have been the best opportunity and it ended them up in a prison so, once they start learning a trade they can move out of the environment they have been placed in. This means that the more that they learn in prison through a college will get them that extra step on all of the people who are planning on what they are doing for college and this puts them in a good place since they will not have anything better to do than get better in school and learn more. I think that putting schools in prison systems will save the government money because they will not have to pay that much on all the people In jail because less people will be motivated to go back because they can get a trade/ job of their liking. No I don't agree with him because that is less that the hard working families will have to worry about since they are all getting jobs and work completed and now understand what they want to do with their life, and all of these people will be able to trust the people they are around a bit better since they have a better education!
ReplyDeleteI agree with what you wrote. I believe that prisoners do need some kind of education or trade. This way they can get a second chance.
DeleteI believe that prisoners should be able to get a education as long as they didn't do a violent crime or doing a long sentence. Many people in jail might not have had opportunities to get a education or the support. Many prisoners are young men and women that hung out with the wrong type of people. By giving them a chance to receive education they can see that there is other opportunities out there than the life of crime. They should be given another chance to do the right thing. I believe people who do drugs should not go to prison , but go to a place to get help for their disease. They need help not punishment. I believe that providing prisoners a chance to take college courses will give them a leg up. It gives them something to work towards. It gives them a goal when they get out. I think if they are on a better path they are less likely t return to prison. They would feel better about themselves. I believe it would costs less to give them an education than not to. If more prisoners don't return it would save money. With no education they would return because they would not have any skills than what they know. I don't agree Mr. Astorino. It does not show the wrong message. Hard working families could.also have children that could be in the prison system. Wouldn't they want their children to have a second chance? My Uncle was in prison for 10 years. He got sentenced when he was 18 years old. While in prison he received his GED. He also started taking college classes. Once out of prison he enrolled in a college and even made the dean's list. The education program might not help every prisoner, but it can help some. Prison should be punishment for some prisoners, but for others it can be a second chance.
ReplyDeleteTommy you have a great perspective of this quote/ assignment you answered it in a great manor and it was over all a great response. I love reading these comments and I don't just agree because we are friends, I just really like the way you comment to these quotes!
DeleteI think that prisoners should get education in jail.I think this because they should get another chance at life. I do think taking college courses will get a leg up in life because once they get out of prison they will know what they will do at there second chance at life.It will prevent people going back to prison because they won't be doing what they did to get to prison when they get out. I do trust the research because it could be accurate and be right and there won't be a lot of people in prison. Sonce the government puts so much money on the army maybe they could just take the smallest piece of it and use it for the country. I don't think putting money on prisons is a waste of money because once people get out they will do better things in life and maybe change the world.The education of law abiding citizens is very important but they already have so much money and they shouldn't be selfish. So yes I do think that people in prison should get an education even if they did horrible things to land in it. But I think only young people in prison should get an education. Because if you're an old person in prison you're not going to need an education because you already lived your life and the young people didn't so it would be better for them.
ReplyDeleteI have never been in prison, I have never seen inside a prison, besides on T.V. I have no idea what it is like in a prison, since so many people become enrolled in the prison system before/ while they are in high school. Yes, I believe they should still be able to learn a trade with the time that they have, so when they get out they can actually get a chance to explore their options. I think that being a prisoner is not something everyone should be put in like not all people doing drugs need to be put in prison, all they need is a little help or maybe some motivation! Honestly, people in prison are mainly their because they were or are in a rough patch of their life had no money and needed something to do, and had no options so they did something illegal to get put in prison to not live on the streets. The prison system adding schools and opportunities for certain people would be good since they can get a good idea as to what they want to do and not want to be in the prison system for the rest of their life; while doing time in a prison they can get started learning something that they might be interested in. Prisoners being incarcerated and taking classes for a college gives them a leg up in the world because what they were doing before might not have been the best opportunity and it ended them up in a prison so, once they start learning a trade they can move out of the environment they have been placed in. This means that the more that they learn in prison through a college will get them that extra step on all of the people who are planning on what they are doing for college and this puts them in a good place since they will not have anything better to do than get better in school and learn more.
ReplyDeleteI really agree with Dupreme and like his answer.
DeleteI agree with what you wrote. I believe that prisoners do need some kind of education or trade. This way they can get a second chance.
Delete
ReplyDeleteI think prisoners should be given the opportunity to get an education because all their time in prison they're wasting their education away. I believe that providing prisoners with the chance of taking college courses in prison will help them when they get out jail because they could start a new life by getting a job or continuing to go to college because there is no age limit. I think it will prevent inmates from landing back in jail because they will be living a better life. I trust the research that giving prisoners college courses in prison will save the government money in the long run because the prisoners will most likely not end up back as criminals because they are doing better and not getting in trouble. I don’t agree with Mr. Astorino, the Westchester County executive because even though there are hard working families, prisoners should also get education especially teenagers that couldn’t finish high school. We hard working families already get
enough of education and I think it’s time for prisoners to get that chance also.
I think prisoners should be given the opportunity to get an education because all their time in prison they're wasting their education away. I believe that providing prisoners with the chance of taking college courses in prison will help them when they get out jail because they could start a new life by getting a job or continuing to go to college because there is no age limit. By giving them a chance to receive education they can see that there is other opportunities out there than the life of crime. They should be given another chance to do the right thing. People in prison are mainly there because they were or are in a rough patch of their life had no money and needed something to do, and sometimes they had no options so they did something illegal to get put in prison to not live on the streets. The prison system adding schools and opportunities for certain people would be good since they can get a good idea as to what they want to do and not want to be in the prison system for the rest of their life. It gives them a goal when they get out. I think if they are on a better path they are less likely t return to prison. They would feel better about themselves. I believe it would costs less to give them an education than not to. If more prisoners don't return it would save money. The prison system adding schools and opportunities for certain people would be good since they can get a good idea as to what they want to do and not want to be in the prison system for the rest of their life. This way while doing time in a prison they can get started learning something that they might be interested in. So yes I do think that people in prison should get an education even if they did horrible things to get in it. But I think everyone in prison should get an education. Because education is important to old and young people even if they are in prison, so i think all prisoners should get the choice to get an education in prison or not.
ReplyDelete