Written evidence from the Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals (CILIP)[i]

 

Executive Summary and Recommendations:

 

 

Recommendations:

Introduction

              Quick facts 1

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  1. We responded to the Ministry of Justice Review of Prison education in November 2015. The subsequent recommendation in the Coates review is that the education reforms should be considered as part of the evaluation strategy for the overall programme of prison reform.
  2. Our response will therefore concentrate on the importance of learning and education to the successful rehabilitation of prisoners and the role prison libraries and their professional staff play in supporting and in many cases delivering education and learning programmes.
  3. In view of this we have responded to the following questions: 1.v), 2. and 7.

Response

Q 1 What should be the purpose (s) of prison?

 

“We need a prison system that doesn’t see prisoners as simply liabilities to be managed, but instead as potential assets to be harnessed” (David Cameron, February, 2016).

  1. The purpose of prison is to assist people towards rehabilitation, not purely to punish, and therefore education has to be absolutely core to life in prison and indeed after. The cost of current levels of reoffending has been estimated to be £9.5 -£13 billion per year.[1]
  2. Literacy is a vital skill which enables full participation in society and is essential for academic and economic success. Prison libraries are able to work with prisoners of all ability levels and can help and encourage them to improve their skills. Reading for pleasure improves vocabulary and enables prisoners to take a wider view of society.

“If education is the engine of social mobility, it is also the engine of prisoner rehabilitation” (Dame Sally Coates, 2016).

  1. Access to education (and to books, information and literacy support) is a right and not a privilege. Education needs to be seen in its broadest terms given that “education” needs to encompass a huge range of different types of personalised activities in order to meet the diverse needs the prison population
  2. We would agree with Dame Sally Coates[2] that education should be at the heart of the prison system and that for progress to be made a holistic approach needs to be taken. All areas of the prison regime suitable for learning should be considered.
  3. However, we were both surprised and disappointed that in a review of education in prisons and the subsequent report no mention whatsoever was made of prison libraries. This was an opportunity missed and an omission that must not be replicated within the prison reform programme.


Q 1(a) How should the reform prisons proposals best fit these purposes and deal most appropriately with those held?

  1. Prisoners are amongst the most disadvantaged learners. Imprisonment creates a whole range of learning and information needs, but prisoners are cut off from most sources of information available to those “outside.” Many prisoners lack functional, emotional and information literacy skills and have difficulty in engaging with learning, living and work. We are, in the words of David Cameron, “...neglecting basic literacy and good-quality qualifications that are actually going to help these people find work” (February, 2016). 
  2. The need to provide education to prisoners is built into the Prison Rules so too the need for all public sector prisons to have a prison library. We would be concerned if the proposed new autonomy in the provision of education, leads to a diminution of the prison library service. We hope that amongst the reforms to prisons we will see some reflection on how a good prison library can contribute to the transformation and rehabilitation agenda. How this can be achieved is evidenced in the case study below.

Case study 1

 

 

 

 

  1. We would very much welcome an opportunity to work with others on scoping a library service for a modern prison.

Q 1 (b) What should be the roles, responsibilities and accountabilities of v) other agencies and departments

The role of the prison library/ librarian

  1. Prison libraries are an integral part of offender learning and should be included in the proposed Personal Learning Plans. Prison library staff should also be part of any professional development to support them deliver high quality education.
  2. Many prisoners do not participate in education in prison due to the method of delivery. They do not like to be in a classroom, possibly due to negative experiences in school.[ii]

 

  1. Prison libraries offer opportunities for informal learning outside the formal education structure of the prison. All prisoners, whatever their status, have a right to access the prison library. This enables prisoners who are not able to engage in formal learning because of security category or behavioural issues or those unwilling to undertake formal learning to take part in learning activities.
     
  2. We are, however, concerned that a recent survey carried out by our Prison Libraries Group showed that a large number of prisoners couldn’t access their

libraries on a regular basis due to a lack of prison officers to escort them (See paragraph 25).

  1. Informal learning is key to a prisoner progressing on to formal learning and reading for pleasure has an important role to play in this transition.
  2. Prison library staff support reading for pleasure for prisoners at all reading ability levels and there have been some innovative projects developed and delivered by prison librarians over the past few years. This type of informal learning project has real impact upon prisoners and their family’s lives.

Case study 2/3

 

 

 

 

 

  1. A good, professionally managed prison library can

Digital literacy and ICT

  1. One of the most important and transferable skills that people need today is the ability to handle information. Increasingly this means the handling of digital information. These are necessary skills if an offender is to lead a successful and law-abiding life after release from prison. Prison library staff are best placed to teach information handling skills.

 

“Governors should be allowed to develop an approach that allows suitably risk assessed prison learners to have controlled access to the internet to support their studies and enable job applications on release”

  1. Internet access remains a controversial issue within prisons but without some form of supervised access, prisoners are completely cut off from a vital piece of their learning. Without some form of access to the internet modern education is going to be curtailed. Not having a basic level of digital skills as defined by GoOn UK’s Basic Digital Skills Framework[3] will seriously limit the likelihood of a prisoner gaining employment on release - not least due to the inability to apply for jobs online which is now the norm for most organisations when advertising job vacancies.
  2. Virtual Campuses – currently only 13 of 91 establishments have virtual campus installed on library PCs[4] allowing some access to digital learning resources. However, Virtual Campus does not go far enough as the sites are too limited to allow searching in a true sense as you would from your home PC. Prison libraries could potentially be a key element in the development of the Virtual Campus project, if this is to be rolled out across the prison estate.

Partnerships with local public library services

  1. Public libraries have played a key role, through the People’s Network, in up-skilling huge numbers of people in their use of ICT. Prison library staff can play a similar role when (if?) ICT and internet access for offenders is rolled out. The way that the People’s Network is managed, and monitored in some public library authorities provides a good model for the prison service to study.


Case study 4

 

 

 

  1. The ability to make the most of all that your public library has to offer is important – especially for an ex-offender. Prison library staff should be fully involved in pre-release work with offenders.
  2. Some prison libraries have learning centres which can increase the number and range of informal learning opportunities for prisoners. These will generally provide non-web based learning resources which can equip prisoners with important skills for life outside. 
  3. The prison library can also support prisoners starting out on more formal learning. Raising confidence and self esteem is an important factor in the educational outcomes of offenders so too in their lives back in society.

Case study 5

 

 

 

 

Q 2. What are the key opportunities and challenges of the central components of prison reform so far announced by the Government, and their development and implementation?

Opportunities:

  1. Prison libraries offer opportunities for informal learning outside the formal education structure of the prison which will be more appealing to some prisoners. They can also support offenders in higher education and those undertaking distance learning by providing study facilities and access to public library resources.
  2. Prison libraries offer support towards effective, sustained rehabilitation through developing the library habit which can be followed up through strong partnership arrangements with the local library service.
  3. Good prison libraries provide the chance to make a real difference to people’s lives (prisoners and their families) by ensuring that literacy, information and digital literacy skills are gained whilst in prison. This means offenders are equipped with the skills and confidence to engage and participate in their communities on release.

Challenges:

  1. Prison libraries are often underutilised as environments for learning. Ensuring adequate access to the library and its learning resources and study support will improve the educational attainment of all prisoners.

Quick facts 2

 

 

 

  1. Underuse of prison libraries which have the resources and skilled staff ready to accept the challenge is a waste of resources. A lack of recognition of the role and purpose of the prison library and its staff and the transformative role it can play in a prisoner’s journey to rehabilitation represents a wasted opportunity.
  2. We have to find some way of providing access to the internet for educational and resettlement purposes. This probably needs to come via a clear national strategy from NOMS. The ability to access digital information is increasingly important to successful resettlement. We have to prepare ex-offenders for the digital world and professional prison librarians have the right skills set to help enable ex-offenders locate educational resources and complete courses online.
  3. There would need to be investment in the technological infrastructure within prisons including necessary safeguards but without true internet access offenders will always leave prison with outdated skills.

Q 7. What are the implications for prison reform of i) the Transforming Rehabilitation programme and ii) devolution of criminal justice budgets now and in the future?

33.The ability of the prison library to be an integral part of the rehabilitation process is dependent upon a variety of factors including staffing levels within prisons. A recent survey undertaken by our Prison Libraries Group highlighted the problem of prisoners not being able to access the library for the recommended number of hours in any given week. Library access needs to be adequate and consistent and this must be assured in any new Transforming Rehabilitation programme.

34.The person who manages the contract for library provision should have knowledge and show an understanding of the important role of a library within a prison and the way in which it contributes to offender learning.

35. A knowledge of the wider potential of libraries and the importance of reading for pleasure would also be of benefit to the service. The extent to which this person understands the library’s role is possibly dependent upon their own personal experience of using libraries outside a prison environment; within education and the public sector.

36.Prison libraries should be an integral part of the proposed Personal Learning Plans and prison library staff part of any professional development to support them to deliver high quality education.

37. We trust that the Committee will find these comments useful in their inquiries into the Government programme of reforms to prisons.

38. For any further information please contact:

 

21 September 2016

 

 

 

 

 

 

[1] Ministry of Justice (2015). Reoffending and rehabilitation.

[2] Coates, S., (2016). Unlocking potential: A review of education in prison. Ministry of Justice.

[3] GoOn UK’s Basic Digital Skills Framework

[4] CILIP, Prison Libraries Group. (2015).The big question report.

[i]CILIP is the leading body representing the library, knowledge and information professions in the UK. We believe in a literate, knowledgeable and connected society. Our members work in a range of sectors including higher education, schools, public libraries, health, and commercial organisations and across government. We also play our part in the global information society mainly through an active membership of IFLA (The International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions).

 

 

[ii]