Academic Education: Learning Is Fundamental, Especially for Inmates

It’s an undeniable fact: The less education an individual has received, the more likely he or she is to engage in behavior that leads to incarceration. It’s also been proven that individuals who participate in educational programs while in prison are much less likely to be re-arrested and find themselves incarcerated again. Earning an educational credential for inmates is about much more than a piece of paper. It represents the promises of a new, law-abiding life, one in which they can be gainfully employed, support their families and earn the respect of their communities.

But a token educational system where one size fits all isn’t good enough. Just as yesterday’s standards for rehabilitation are not acceptable to CCA and its government partners, neither is an educational program that doesn’t offer a full array of options for every inmate, at every academic level.

Adult Basic Education

From Adult Basic Education to advanced degree programs, academic programs at CCA facilities are second to none. The unfortunate reality is that a large number of newly incarcerated individuals have almost no formal education. Many are unable to read and write. For them, basic education is a key that can unlock the door to a better life. For other inmates, the challenge is different. Someone may be a high school dropout who needs a structured pathway toward a GED – universally recognized by employers as the equivalent of a high school diploma. Others may be high academic achievers capable of taking advantage of CCA programs to pursue advanced degrees or other post-secondary study.

For each individual, the process begins with testing and evaluation. This results in a comprehensive assessment that allows CCA’s educational staff to determine the appropriate level of instruction. From there, it’s a matter of taking a series of small steps toward a manageable goal, in a process designed to boost confidence and self-esteem.

Academic education is split into four levels. The reward for CCA’s teaching staff is to watch students advance until they eventually reach their goals.

Adult Basic Education in Spanish

Diversity in our culture is something that can’t be ignored in planning educational programs for those who are incarcerated. Recognizing the need to offer equally effective programs for Spanish-speaking inmates, including undocumented offenders ultimately facing deportation, CCAoffers Adult Basic Education in Spanish at many of its correctional facilities. It’s another example of CCA’s commitment to recognize a critical need and to go above and beyond the status quo in offering a path to success for every inmate.

For more than five years, CCA has partnered with the National Institute for Adult Education (Instituto Nacional de Educación para los Adultos, or INEA), a Mexico City-based organization, to provide adult education in Spanish. INEA oversees the accreditation and certification of basic educational studies in Mexico. The program’s main focus is to prepare inmates for a successful life in Latin America after their release.

Previously referred to as the Mexican GED program, INEA supplies facilities with materials and curriculum for the primaria level (grades 1-6) and secondaria level (grades 7-9). The Mexican government sees the initiative as beneficial enough to have provided additional training for staff and tutors at no cost to CCA.

Post-Secondary Opportunities, GRE Preparation and Testing

Outside prison walls, the educational process doesn’t stop with a GED, and the same is true within every CCA facility. Inmates can take advantage of post-secondary programs and actually earn college credit and even earn a degree, giving them an even bigger edge when they re-enter the job market. Corrections Learning Network Distance Learning is a satellite-delivered instructional program available a most CCA facilities.

Programs available to inmates include preparation for the GRE test, along with the test itself, which can open the door for individuals to pursue advanced academic degrees.

Literacy

For far too many inmates, the educational process hinges on its most basic step – the ability to read and write. CCA was the first partnership corrections company to receive an endorsement from American Correctional Association standards.