Education in Prison seminar highlights low funding

Media Release Thursday, 25 November 2010

Community Justice Coalition and
International Commission of Jurists (Australia)

Education in Prison seminar highlights low funding

Thursday 25 November from 5:30 -7:30pm

NSW Parliament House, Room 814-815
Macquarie St, Sydney.

Media are welcome.

In spite of the significant numbers of prisoners incarcerated in NSW, the 2009/2010 budget for offender programs, including education, has decreased compared to past years. In 2008-09, Corrective Services NSW was allocated a budget of over a billion dollars, 2.5% of which was provided to inmate education and vocational training programs. The number of teachers dealing with the inmate population has remained static in recent years.

David Bitel, President of the Community Justice Coalition said today:

“Research has demonstrated that the provision of adult education and vocational training in its own right has an impact on reducing recidivism. Results of 12,000 assessments of literacy and numeracy skills of inmates conducted since 2007 demonstrate that a majority of inmates have low levels of literacy and numeracy skills which consequently requires enrolment in adult basic education courses.”

“Funding and access to educational programs for inmates has not kept pace with the massive increases to the NSW prison population resulting from the law and order auction in previous state elections. All political parties must commit if elected to government in March 2011 to provide increased funding for education and vocational training programs in prisons. Funding must also be provided to ensure that inmates have access to well stocked libraries, are able to access distance and electronic education courses if needed, and have access to modern technology such as computers. Inmates must have access to a broad range of education, cultural, recreational and vocational development programs.”

Speakers at the Education in Prisons seminar are:

Maree O’Halloran, President of the National Welfare Rights Network and Director of the Welfare Rights Centre in Sydney. Formerly President of the NSW Teachers Federation, taught in schools, TAFE and Long Bay Prison.

Brad Parker, CFMEU Construction and General Division. Seven years a member of the Correctional Industries Consultative Council representing Unions NSW. Recipient of ‘The Excellence in Corrections Award’ for work initiated in both the Employment for Ex-offenders Project and the Aboriginal Housing Project.

Luke Grant, Department of Corrective Services Assistant Commissioner,
Offender Services and Programs since June 2006, responsible for offender services and programs in custody and in the community, including Corrective Services Industries and inmate classification and case management.

Mark Middleton, Ex-prisoner, current university student.

Community Justice Coalition
http://www.communityjusticecoalition.org

International Commission of Jurists Australia
http://www.icj-aust.org.au

Contact: info@communityjusticecoalition.org

International Commission of Jurists (Australia)