Getting an education lowers a prisoner’s likelihood of reoffending. So why does Canada make it nearly impossible for inmates to take online courses?

[shockedcanadian]

The old Soviet police state up north you guys support. They don't want a successful nation, they want a well funded, unaccountable cult. You lost so many to defeat communism only to help fund it in China and Canada.

Our sharp decline is assured. You will follow our lead and instructions in some departments it seems...

Getting an education lowers a prisoner’s likelihood of reoffending. So why does Canada make it nearly impossible for inmates to take online courses?

The Correctional Service of Canada says it's "committed to improving offenders’ access to computer-based learning and post-secondary education.”

www.thestar.com

When Jean Frazier learned her son wanted to pursue a university degree, she was excited.
He was more than a decade into a life sentence at a federal prison for a violent crime he committed as a teen. The school work, Frazier thought, would give him something to focus on behind bars and maybe put him on a brighter path for the future.


.....................................

Canada lags behind other nations​

The United Kingdom, Australia, parts of the U.S. and several European countries all provide varying degrees of internet access to prisoners for educational purposes, but Canada lags behind. The pandemic-accelerated shift to online-only distance learning means Canadian prisoners arguably have less access to higher education today than they have had in decades.

Fewer prisoners are pursuing post-secondary degrees and diplomas as a result. Those that do — like Frazier’s son — are met with daunting roadblocks.
“I think it's negligence on the part of the (federal government) not to move on this issue,” said Ivan Zinger, Canada’s Correctional Investigator, who has been raising concerns about the technological deprivation in Canadian prisons for years. “Especially when there's such clear benefits in terms of public safety.”

 

[Woodznutz]

It's all about the 'Benjamin's'. Governments don't understand money management. The idea of cutting funding for one program to fund another doesn't occur to them. All programs must be fully funded, even if one program reduces the need for another.

 

[1srelluc]

VDOC has a multi level approach....For a convict to get to a level 1 or 2 prison from a level 3 prison (there were 5 security levels, 5 being super-max) he had to be enrolled in a GED program and successfully complete it within a certain timeframe.

They used real teachers who were contract employees of VDOC.

If the convict failed to pass he was given another chance, if he failed again his security level remained at Level 3 and he had to wait a year to try again.....Most buckled-down and made it on the third try.

 

[rampart]

The old Soviet police state up north you guys support. They don't want a successful nation, they want a well funded, unaccountable cult. You lost so many to defeat communism only to help fund it in China and Canada.

Our sharp decline is assured. You will follow our lead and instructions in some departments it seems...

Getting an education lowers a prisoner’s likelihood of reoffending. So why does Canada make it nearly impossible for inmates to take online courses?

The Correctional Service of Canada says it's "committed to improving offenders’ access to computer-based learning and post-secondary education.”

www.thestar.com

When Jean Frazier learned her son wanted to pursue a university degree, she was excited.
He was more than a decade into a life sentence at a federal prison for a violent crime he committed as a teen. The school work, Frazier thought, would give him something to focus on behind bars and maybe put him on a brighter path for the future.


.....................................

Canada lags behind other nations​

The United Kingdom, Australia, parts of the U.S. and several European countries all provide varying degrees of internet access to prisoners for educational purposes, but Canada lags behind. The pandemic-accelerated shift to online-only distance learning means Canadian prisoners arguably have less access to higher education today than they have had in decades.

Fewer prisoners are pursuing post-secondary degrees and diplomas as a result. Those that do — like Frazier’s son — are met with daunting roadblocks.
“I think it's negligence on the part of the (federal government) not to move on this issue,” said Ivan Zinger, Canada’s Correctional Investigator, who has been raising concerns about the technological deprivation in Canadian prisons for years. “Especially when there's such clear benefits in terms of public safety.”

is this the current wedge between the "punishment" and "regabilitation" models?

educarion programs should be available, but that might compromise the convict leasing ststems and prison industrial complex that keep america great.