Developing Training Programmes for Qualified Teachers to Teach in Prisons

TTIP
Developing Training Programmes for Qualified Teachers to Teach in Prisons

1 active visitor

Remember me

Partners

EU Dimension

The EU Dimension in Prison Education

Recommendations

Council of Europe

COUNCIL OF EUROPE
RECOMMENDATION No. R(89)12
OF THE COMMITTEE OF MINISTERS TO MEMBER STATES
ON EDUCATION IN PRISON

(adopted by the Committee of Ministers on 13 October 1989at the 429th meeting of the Ministers' Deputies)

The Committee of Ministers, under the terms of Article 15.b of the Statute of the Council of Europe -

Considering that the right to education is fundamental;
Considering the importance of education in the development of the individual and the community;
Realising in particular that a high proportion of prisoners have had very little successful educational experience, and therefore now have many educational needs;
Considering that education in prison helps to humanise prisons and to improve the conditions of detention;
Considering that education in prison is an important way of facilitating the return of the prisoner to the community;
Recognising that in the practical application of certain rights or measures, in accordance with the following recommendations, distinctions may be justified between convicted prisoners and prisoners remanded in custody;
Having regard to Recommendation No. R(87)3 on the European Prison Rules and Recommendation No. R(81)17 on Adult Education Policy,

- recommends the governments of member States to implement policies which recognise the following:

All prisoners shall have access to education, which is envisaged as consisting of classroom subjects, vocational education, creative and cultural activities, physical education and sports, social education and library facilities;
Education for prisoners should be like the education provided for similar age groups in the outside world, and the range of learning opportunities for prisoners should be as wide as possible;
Education in prison shall aim to develop the whole person bearing in mind his or her social, economic and cultural context;
All those involved in the administration of the prison system and the management of prisons should facilitate and support education as much as possible;
Education should have no less a status than work within the prison regime and prisoners should not lose out financially or otherwise by taking part in education;
Every effort should be made to encourage the prisoner to participate actively in all aspects of education;
Development programmes should be provided to ensure that prison educators adopt appropriate adult education methods;
Special attention should be given to those prisoners with particular difficulties and especially those with reading or writing problems;
Vocational education should aim at the wider development of the individual, as well as being sensitive to trends in the labour market;
Prisoners should have direct access to a well-stocked library at least once per week;
Physical education and sports for prisoners should be emphasised and encouraged;
Creative and cultural activities should be given a significant role because these activities have particular potential to enable prisoners to develop and express themselves;
Social education should include practical elements that enable the prisoner to manage daily life within the prison, with a view to facilitating the return to society;
Wherever possible, prisoners should be allowed to participate in education outside prison;
Where education has to take place within the prison, the outside community should be involved as fully as possible;
Measures should be taken to enable prisoners to continue their education after release;
The funds, equipment and teaching staff needed to enable prisoners to receive appropriate education should be made available.

COUNCIL OF EUROPE
COMMITTEE OF MINISTERS
Recommendation Rec(2006)2
on the European Prison Rule

Education

28.1 Every prison shall seek to provide all prisoners with access to educational programmes which are as comprehensive as possible and which meet their individual needs while taking into account their aspirations.

28.2 Priority shall be given to prisoners with literacy and numeracy needs and those who lack basic or vocational education.

28.3 Particular attention shall be paid to the education of young prisoners and those with special needs.

28.4 Education shall have no less a status than work within the prison regime and prisoners shall not be disadvantaged financially or otherwise by taking part in education.

28.5 Every institution shall have a library for the use of all prisoners, adequately stocked with a wide range of both recreational and educational resources, books and other media.

28.6 Wherever possible, the prison library should be organised in co-operation with community library services.

28.7 As far as practicable, the education of prisoners shall:
    a. be integrated with the educational and vocational training system of the
        country so that after their release they may continue their education and
        vocational training without difficulty; and
    b. take place under the auspices of external educational institutions.

[Download full text] - pdf - 100Kb

COUNCIL OF EUROPE
COMMITTEE OF MINISTERS
Recommendation Rec(2003)23
on the management by prison administrations of life sentence and other long-term
prisoners
Recognising the importance of Recommendation No R (89) 12 on education in prison;
– participation in work, education, training and other activities that provide for a purposeful
use of time spent in prison and increase the chances of a successful resettlement after
release;
Pay attention to: – the provision of adequate education and schooling;
[Full Text]

COUNCIL OF EUROPE
COMMITTEE OF MINISTERS
Recommendation Rec(2003)22
on conditional release (parole)
Recognising the importance of Recommendation No R (89) 12 on education in prison;
– working or following some other approved occupational activity, for instance, education or vocational training;
13. Prison services should ensure that prisoners can participate in appropriate pre-release programmes and are encouraged to take part in educational and training courses that prepare them for life in the community. Specific modalities for the enforcement of prison sentences such as semi-liberty, open regimes or extra-mural placements, should be used as much as possible with a view to preparing the prisoners' resettlement in the community.
[Full Text]

COUNCIL OF EUROPE
COMMITTEE OF MINISTERS
Recommendation Rec(2003)20
concerning new ways of dealing with juvenile delinquency and the role of juvenile
justice
Taking into consideration that the traditional criminal justice system may not by itself offer adequate solutions as regards the treatment of juvenile delinquents, given that their specific educational and social needs differ from those of adults;
- “juvenile justice system” is defined as the formal component of a wider approach for tackling youth crime. In addition to the youth court, it encompasses official bodies or agencies such as the police, the prosecution service, the legal profession, the probation service and penal institutions. It works closely with related agencies such as health, education, social and welfare services and non-governmental bodies, such as victim and witness support.
19. Preparation for the release of juveniles deprived of their liberty should begin on the first
day of their sentence. A full needs and risk assessment should be the first step towards a
reintegration plan which fully prepares offenders for release by addressing, in a coordinated
manner, their needs relating to education, employment, income, health, housing,
supervision, family and social environment.
21. The response to juvenile delinquency should be planned, co-ordinated and delivered by local partnerships comprising the key public agencies – police, probation, youth and
social welfare, judicial, education, employment, health and housing authorities – and the
voluntary and private sector. Such partnerships should be responsible and accountable for
achieving a common and clearly defined aim,
[Full Text]

COUNCIL OF EUROPE
COMMITTEE OF MINISTERS
RECOMMENDATION No. R (87) 20
ON SOCIAL REACTIONS TO JUVENILE DELINQUENCY
Considering that young people are developing beings and in consequence all measures taken in their respect should have an educational character;
Convinced that the penal system for minors should continue to be characterised by its objective of education and social integration and that it should as far as possible abolish imprisonment for minors;
4. to ensuring that minors are tried more rapidly, avoiding undue delay, so as to ensure effective educational action;
11. to ensuring that interventions in respect of juvenile delinquents are sought preferably in the minors' natural environment, respect their right to education and their personality and foster their personal development;
14. with the aim of gradually abandoning recourse to detention and increasing the number of alternative measures, to giving preference to those which allow greater opportunities for social integration through education, vocational training as well as through the use of leisure or other activities;
15. - are intended to cope with the persistence of delinquent behaviour in the minor by improving his capacities for social adjustment by means of intensive educational action (including "intensive intermediary treatment");
- entail community work suited to the minor's age and educational needs;
16. - to providing both education and vocational training for young prisoners, preferably in conjunction with the community, or any other measure which may assist reinsertion in society;
- to providing educational support after release and possible assistance for the social rehabilitation of the minors;
17. to reviewing, if necessary, their legislation on young adult delinquents, so that the relevant courts also have the opportunity of passing sentences which are educational in nature and foster social integration, regard being had for the personalities of the offenders;
[Full Text]

COUNCIL OF EUROPE
COMMITTEE OF MINISTERS
Resolution (86) 3
Sport for Prisoners and Young Delinquents
1. recognise the value and benefits of physical education and sports activates in prisons and other custodial centres;
8. enable teachers of sport and physical education who wish to work in prisons or detention centres to gain experience of them;
[Full Text]

COUNCIL OF EUROPE
COMMITTEE OF MINISTERS
RECOMMENDATION No. R (84) 12
CONCERNING FOREIGN PRISONERS
5. Foreign prisoners should have the same access as national prisoners to education and vocational training.
In order that foreign prisoners may have access to courses designed to improve educational and professional qualifications, consideration should be given to the possibility of providing them with necessary special facilities.
[Full Text]

COUNCIL OF EUROPE
COMMITTEE OF MINISTERS
RECOMMENDATION No. R (82) 16
ON PRISON LEAVE
1. to grant prison leave to the greatest extent possible on medical, educational, occupational, family and other social grounds ;
[Full Text]

COUNCIL OF EUROPE
COMMITTEE OF MINISTERS
RECOMMENDATION No. R (82) 17
CONCERNING CUSTODY AND TREATMENT OF DANGEROUS PRISONERS

7. to provide education, vocational training, work and leisure-time occupations and other activities to the extent that security permits;
[Full Text]

COUNCIL OF EUROPE
COMMITTEE OF MINISTERS
RESOLUTION (78) 62
ON JUVENILE DELINQUENCY AND SOCIAL CHANGE

i. co-ordinate the activities of all bodies concerned with assisting young people
(social and educational services, police, courts, etc.)
[Full Text]

COUNCIL OF EUROPE
COMMITTEE OF MINISTERS
Recommendation R (76) 2
The treatment of long-term prisoners:
Article 5: "encourage all education and vocational training by providing an adequate system of remuneration for these activities also"
[Full Text]