In 2016 The New South Wales Government as part of the Better Prisons reform, decided to engage specialist adult training provider BSI Learning and TAFE. The objective was to lift standards, strengthening accountability, and help meet a commitment to reduce adult reoffending by five per cent by 2019.
The changes included Correctives Services focussing on basic reading and writing and vocational skills, in the hope of boosting employability beyond convict life and reducing recidivism.
The rate of inmates completing numeracy and literacy courses has soared by 77 per cent according to recent statistics published in the department’s media release. The number of inmates that completed literacy and numeracy qualifications increased from 322 per year to 459 between 2015-2016 and 2017-2018, while those in vocational training programs has increased from 2,978 to 5,269 in the same period.
Nick Hansen of The Daily Telegraph - in an article of December 26, 2018 shares a great story about Sharon, a 52-year-old inmate who was terrified and unable to read her own name when she arrived on a lengthy sentence at Dillwynia Correctional Centre, near Windsor.
“I was scared when I came in, I didn’t talk to the officers, Ididn’t talk to no one. I didn’t know how to read or write, now I can,” Sharon told The Daily Telegraph.
Sharon is “employed” at $24.60 per week in a team of inmates who fix and repackage used Qantas headsets as part of the prison system’s vast internal workforce.
A requirement of this job is the ability to read English.
It is coveted paid positions like Sharon’s which entice prisoners to achieve a basic education.
This education and work experience will hopefully give Sharon the opportunity to achieve her goal to work with her sister when she is released.
Dillwynia’s principal industries officer Cath Avery told the Daily Telegraph that learning and employment was critical to filling in the hours between 7am and 3pm - focussing the inmates mind on positive activities.
Our learning programme has 3 main benefits says Cath :-
Minister for Corrections David Elliott in the media release said the fact the prison system was below capacity for the first time in years was proof the changes were addressing recidivist offending.
“People should leave prison feeling punished so they don’t go back, drug free so they don’t risk a life of crime and be literate so they can get a job,” Mr Elliott said.