Education--Penal Institutions: U. S. and Europe.

Overview & Synopsis

Penal systems of European countries vary in educational programs and humanizing efforts. A high percentage of Soviet prisoners, many incarcerated for ideological/religious beliefs, are confined to labor colonies. All inmates are obligated to learn a trade, one of the qualifications for release being evidence of some trade skill. Swedish institutions, leaders in humanizing efforts, offer vocational/industrial training, continuing education, and follow-up educational programs. The Finnish penal programs, although limited to elementary instruction, indicate a strong progressive strain. Education is a feature of all penal institutions in England. Of the French inmates involved in education, about one-fourth are enrolled in correspondence courses. Italy, prohibited by legislation from organizing schools in prisons, provides vocational training. Elementary academic education is provided in Portugal, Yugoslavia, Poland, Greece, and Hungary; vocational training is emphasized in Belgium and Poland. Dutch penal staffs provide impressive group therapy experimental programs. In the United States, programed instruction and college education provision are current trends. Although a national strategy for adult basic educational training exists, General Education Development (GED) research is lacking. Vocational training, which is often provided, is weak. (EA)