There is a time in every man’s education when he arrives
at the conviction that envy is ignorance; that imitation
is suicide; that he must take himself for better, for worse,
as his portion; that though the wide universe is full of good,
no kernel of nourishing corn can come to him but through his
toil bestowed on that plot of ground which is given to him to till.

~ Ralph Waldo Emerson ~

The degree of civilization in a society can be judged by entering its prisons.

~ Fyodor Dostoevsky

The purpose of prisons and jails is to accomplish four specific functions. They satisfy society’s desire to punish or smite the iniquitous, they protect the public by taking dangerous criminals out of circulation, they serve to deter potential offenders, and they provide an opportunity to change the way offenders will think and act upon their release. My interest is in the latter two, and the general understanding that the average education level of a prison inmate is far below that of the typical law abiding citizen.

Nearly 80% of all inmates are functionally illiterate. Nevertheless, almost 80% of prison efforts go toward security, with prison policies and budgets allowing very little effective effort to help inmates reach a level of education that will allow them to be independently productive once they reach the outside. It would seem reasonable that educational reform is the key to reducing recidivism and deterring future criminals. However, it appears that society focuses on punishment and incapacitation, deeming criminals as no longer fit to mingle in society, and for the most part neglecting to help them reform and reintegrate into society.

Is there merit in mandating education as an integral component of all prison sentences, furthermore will doing so facilitate the conversion of our current prisons from holding pens and schoolhouses for criminals to true rehabilitation centers?

Ultimately, there are three kinds of inmates. First, there are those who will not change no matter what. To them, life is a game they are playing, and prison is simply a penalty box akin to the ones in hockey. Second, there are those who are struggling between old habits and the idea of trying to break away from them. Many of these will have a hard time breaking away from their habits because of the lack of education. Third and last, there are those who are committed to making changes, but again they are hamstrung by a lack of education and knowledge.

For the first group little can be done. They are caught up in a fallacy of their own creation, believing that they are impervious to the law, and it is the role of society to try to stop them. Conversely, the other two groups could profit greatly from educational rehabilitation programs. While the second group would undoubtedly retain a higher recidivism than the third due to addictions and other problems relating to their habits, both groups would benefit from the intrinsic ability to reason and resolve that comes with education.

There would still be the obvious obstacles that come with a criminal record, however compared to the expense of re-incarceration, which costs yearly from $25,000 to $45,000 per inmate, prison education is a bargain at one-tenth the cost. It seems obvious that educational rehabilitation programs are needed to help prepare inmates for success in the outside world. Not necessarily because criminals deserve the chance, that is an entirely separate issue, but because it is in the best interest of society.

I’ve learned that you shouldn’t go through life with a catcher’s mitt on both hands. You need to be able to throw something back.
~Maya Angelou,  Poet/Novelist (1928- )

How dreadful knowledge of the truth can be when there’s no help in the truth.
~Sophocles, (495-405 BCE)

During my research on our last two papers, I have come across some interesting questions and formed some of my own regarding prison reform. The prevailing consensus seems to be that we need to provide education to convicts to help in rehabilitation and reintegration into society. The principal question seems to revolve around our failure to institute policies to enhance convict education. The bulk of the evidence that I have been able to find shows that in the last thirty or so years, the United States has taken successful criminal rehabilitation education programs and all but removed them.

I have found many articles where politicians cite lower crime rate statistics, but the politicians fail to mention the possible correlation between the number of incarcerated criminals and the lower crime rate. As I have studied articles from the last thirty or so years, I have found that the prison policies and concepts of rehabilitation have often changed to fit the current political mindset. The objective being to garner votes for politicians, meanwhile the interests and welfare of society are being ignored.

My research into this subject is far from completed, but already I have found some very interesting facts and statistics. I look forward to more in-depth study.

Government is not reason, it is not eloquence, it is force; like fire, a troublesome servant and a fearful master. Never for a moment should it be left to irresponsible action.

~George Washington, 1st US president (1732-1799)

This past week in English class, we were discussing education. The topic turned to some of our distinguished institutions of higher learning, and the way they are altering their requirements to appear less elite. Over the past week, this has weighed heavily on my mind. I have found myself wondering why we have become a country obsessed with being average.

What has caused this shift from seeking greatness to wallowing in mediocrity? I think in part it stems from the fact that there are no great leaders today. Greatness has become a thing to laugh at and scorn. It is hard for the young generations to seek greatness when they do not have great leaders to show them that it is acceptable to step out from the herd. It could be that I am wrong and history will tell a different story. Did people consider Abraham Lincoln to be as great in his day as we see him today? We know that John F. Kennedy was revered during his life, but have we romanticized his life to legend status as time has shaded in the facts? Perhaps it is nostalgic hind-site and the shutters of time that make great people.

Is it our culture of instant gratification that has led us to believe that there is not a need for great people? What messages do our children receive when their icons would rather use drugs to out-perform their peers instead of hard work? Much like graphite in a pencil and a diamond, two things that are so similar in composition yet so very different. Both are made from carbon. However, one is commonplace and not really of any notable worth. The other, forged under tremendous pressure and heat, is precious and of great worth. This might be the lacking force. So rarely these days are we forced to develop in the furnace of adversity and trial. Our parents and grandparents have fought so hard to create a world of luxury and ease, that we do not have to struggle and fight for what we want.

I wonder if history will show that there were in fact great people in our day, or have we reached that point of equilibrium where we have become stagnant and ceased to move forward? Only history can tell.

I am not blaming those who are resolved to rule, only those who show an even greater readiness to submit.

~Thucydides

     I found my topic for this journal entry during a conversation in our English class. It was discussing the topic of another student’s paper that led me to ponder the intricacies of patriotism. Theodore Roosevelt said, “Patriotism means to stand by the country. It does not mean to stand by the president or any other public official… That we are to stand by the president, right or wrong is not only unpatriotic and servile, but is morally treasonable to the American public.” We as a people hold a sacred charge to keep our elected officials in check. Our government officials are servants to the people; it is their job to pursue the best interests and welfare of the people and their country. We are remiss in our duties as citizens if we allow our public officials to pursue their personal interests or agendas without accountability.      

     Recently I heard the opinion that “anybody who doesn’t like how America is, can leave!” While I feel that protestors waving a foreign flag and shouting that they are Americans is not suitable to the spirit of loyal disagreement, I do believe that there is a time and place for protests. Renowned journalist Edward R. Murrow stated, “We must not confuse dissent with disloyalty. When the loyal opposition dies, I think the soul of America dies with it.” Thomas Jefferson also spoke on this when he said, “The spirit of resistance to government is so valuable on certain occasions, that I wish it to be always kept alive.” It is our right and responsibility to oppose those things that we know to be wrong. It was a charge and guarantee given to us in the constitution by our Founding Fathers, and when we neglect our duty we not only do a great disservice to our posterity and ourselves but we dishonor those who sacrificed on our behalf to give us all that we enjoy today.