By Matthew Cimitile, University Communications and Marketing
Studies consistently show that education programs in prison can substantially reduce rates of formerly incarcerated individuals from relapsing into criminal behavior, or recidivism.
An analysis of hundreds of research papers on the topic from the Mackinac Center for Public Policy showed that providing educational programs for incarcerated individuals not only reduced recidivism and reincarceration but also enhanced employment opportunities and incomes upon release.
Education faculty at the University of South Florida St. Petersburg are working with correctional educators within the Florida Department of Corrections (FDC) on how to enhance literacy rates of incarcerated individuals within the states’ prisons. FDC educators working in 11 state prisons from Pensacola to Miami recently participated in a professional development workshop on how to differentiate literacy instruction for populations with learning disabilities and at different reading levels.
“Nationally, the majority of the incarcerated population read below a middle school level, with a disproportionate amount having learning disabilities,” said AnnMarie Gunn, a USF professor of literary studies. “This training helped support FDC’s educators in their unique classroom settings, providing them with educational resources and strategies to help their students comprehend more deeply, and we hope in the long term, decreasing the likelihood of these incarcerated individuals to return to prison after their release.”
The workshops focused on methods to teach reading, writing and vocabulary skills at different comprehension levels. During these workshops, Susan Bennett, a USF professor of literary education, covered topics such as effective teaching, literacy instruction, dual language learning and comprehension strategies for struggling readers.
The curriculum was tailored to be relevant to an incarcerated population, developing classroom instruction of reading and writing around real-world activities to motivate students.
"The partnership between the Florida Department of Corrections and the University of South Florida is vital in empowering our educators statewide to effectively provide literacy instruction for our inmate population,” said Florida Department of Corrections Director of Office of Programs and Re-Entry Amy Frizzell. “This collaboration ensures that all inmates receive the tailored support they need to succeed. Education programs for inmates play a crucial role in reducing recidivism by equipping individuals with the skills and knowledge necessary to secure employment and improve their incomes upon release. These programs not only provide a pathway to personal growth and development but also foster a sense of hope and purpose, ultimately contributing to safer communities.”
The curriculum, informed by pre-workshop surveys of FDC’s educators, focused on how to deliver classroom material without the use of a computer and other digital devices, limited by resource constraints and security concerns.
Bennett and Gunn also drew on their previous experiences with incarcerated individuals: In 2019, they provided literacy instruction to nearly 50 inmates at the Polk Correctional Institution.
“This has been such a rewarding experience working with these educators, seeing their investment in the success of their students and hearing how beneficial the course material was for their profession,” Bennett said.
Gunn and Bennett are now collecting feedback from participants to develop future workshops, as USF and the FDC plan to continue this partnership in the coming years.
“I became an educator because I wanted to help students and contribute to making a better society,” Bennett said. “And I’m happy to play any part in helping teachers become more effective in what they do so they can help their students succeed.”