Education Behind Bars: Article Five: A Little Prison History and Some Current Data

Prior to the mid-1860s, incarceration was used to punish lawbreakers and remove them from the general population. People were usually placed in jail or prison primarily for any kind of thievery. Violent criminals were not tolerated; execution was a common solution.


After the Civil War, the purpose of incarceration changed significantly in northern and southern states. In the South, laws and practices were developed to insure the continuation of a slavery in a new and legal form. Laws were enacted that penalized activities or conditions that pertained primarily to African Americans (such as “walking without purpose,” “walking at night,” or “hunting on Sundays”) and created economic incentives for incarcerating as many people as possible. Prisoners performed work without pay for municipal as well as commercial entities; roads were built, trenches dug, levees created, and many other manual labor jobs were completed by incarcerated individuals.


In the North, similar changes were under way. The massive influx of former slaves threatened jobs and cultural stability in northern communities. Fear motivated city, state, and federal authorities to pass laws and develop policing practices that would minimize perceived dangers, and at the same time, enable commercial and industrial entities to benefit from cheap labor.
 
Newly freed African Americans tended to settle in cities where they knew someone and where work was more readily available. The rapid growth in northern cities put tremendous strain on municipal facilities and services. Also, the demand for jobs far exceeded the capacity of commercial and businesses, so unemployment was widespread.


“From 1850 to 1940, racial and ethnic minorities – including foreign-born and non-English speaking European immigrants – made up 40 to 50 percent of the prison population.”1 It is important to remember that during that span of time, the majority White population ranged from 84.3% in 1850 to 93.4% in 1930, while the Black population consistently shifted downward from 15.7% in 1850 to 9.7% in 1940.

Today, the population of the United States is around 332 million. The number of incarcerated people is around 2 million. During the year, some incarcerated people are released on probation, parole, or other authority, and around 600,00 enter prison. Incarcerated men (93.3%) far outnumber the number of women (6.7%). Anywhere from 60 – 80% of released prisoners will be back in prison for new crimes within 5 years of release.


In the 1960s, the commitment to prisons for punishment was modified to include corrections. Corrections prepares incarcerated individuals for life beyond bars and includes programs such as English as a Second Language (ESL), literacy, GED or high school diploma, vocational training, and mental health wellness. In recent years, some prisons have instituted specific preparation programs for prisoners slated for release within a year or two. These programs focus on social, cultural, and economic practices.
 
The results of these programs have yet to be determined. In the meantime, research shows that even a small exposure to higher education (HE) while in prison, reduces recidivism and improves in-prison culture. Since over 50% of all prisoners in the United States are people of color, higher education in prison may provide them with opportunities they never even imagined for themselves and give them hope for a better life on outside the prison walls. Even so, HE is available in a slowly increasing number of universities and colleges, and is generally NOT financed by federal, state, or local funds. Unlike other corrections measures, HE occurs when prisons and educational institutions enter into local agreements. These programs are most often volunteer-driven, and students must find funding from family, friends, or scholarships to pay for tuition and books. In some cases, educational institutions may be able to provide funding for some elements of their programs through grants or donations.
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Dear Reader,
If you find the information in this series on Education Behind Bars compelling and important, please let your legislators know. Encourage them to learn more about HE for incarcerated people, and to develop policies, legislation, and funding for more programs, data collection, and analysis.


Non-violent crime figures have been dropping in the last few years while the number of violent crimes has been climbing. Many states are in the process of significantly reducing the number of people in prisons and jails. However, recidivism continues to funnel previously incarcerated people back into prisons at an alarming rate.


We CAN do something:

• Stay informed regarding the Justice System.
• Communicate with legislators about Higher Education in Prisons.

Submitted by Cheryl Stewart
MOTAL Board Member and Treasurer


Resources:
Coming in separate email