For those who want to know information about prison-based Vocational Education programs in California, you have to read this entire article. Here we are going to talk about that. So, make sure you do not go anywhere.
A Brief History of Prison-Based Vocational Education Programs in California
Vocational education program in prison has a long history in California prisons at least since its operation the “jute mill” at San Quentin State Prison during the late 19 century. Mainly, in the years after this, industrial manufacturing and Vocational education programs came to be a major goal for the California Department of Corrections. Indeed, that program expanded during the twentieth century when the wardens came to believe that such activity was a cost-saving device. The products were able to be used in the prison and for the state government. A basis for rehabilitation and integration of inmates back into the workforce once released. Also, implementation of rehabilitation and education programs was established as part of the California Youth Authority in the twentieth century.
In the adult California Department of Corrections, the wardens were encouraged to innovate and respond to local needs. The Wardens who until the 1990s were autonomous gubernatorial appointees, completed this with little central coordination. Lacking a systematic approach, decentralized institutional efforts resulted in vocational education programs across California’s prison system that were not uniform in their standards of variable quality. Sometimes these programs were merged with industrial production programs conducted by the PIA (Prison Industry Authority). Other programs were free-standing and designed to meet the local needs of the prisons, such as shoemaking and dry cleaning. For your information, most common vocational courses in California were in the automotive trades (auto mechanics), building trades (carpentry, painting, welding, plumbing, electrical, etc.), tailoring, print shop, office services, dry cleaning, and so on. More programs taught trades like license plate manufacturing, bronco busting, firefighting, ophthalmologic technicians, and underwater welding.
Oftentimes, the programs were of high quality, growing from the vision of a charismatic warden. However, great achievements at one or two institutions did not translate into benefits for the entire system. The skills taught did not need to be articulate with broader industry standards, California’s job market or certification programs. The low cost of inmate labor and the limitations posed by the prison environment also meant that the programs were not always up-to-date. For instance, the CDCR manufactured their shoes by hand long after the cobbler trade became obsolete due to cheaper alternatives. Likewise, the print shops were maintained long after the development of more complex photo-copying machines.
Inmate Incarceration and Rehabilitation in California: Vocational Education
The California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) incarcerates inmates sentenced by county-level courts to sentences longer than one year. Thus, initial processing is at the county level and undertaken by the offices of county sheriffs who operate the prisons. Besides that, judges who sentencing convicted criminals have available county-level probation officers’ sentencing and needs recommendations too. After conviction, the inmates are sent to a California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) reception center for a few months. During this time, the CDCR will evaluate the inmate for institutional capacity, inmate sentence, legal requirements, security classification score, and rehabilitative needs. A large number of custody staff, counselors, psychologists, social workers, and education specialists are involved in these decisions that are made in a series of internal hearings.
The Vocational Education Classroom in California Prisons
In fact, the curricula bought by the CDCR in 2007-2008 with AB 900 monies focuses on particular vocational trades. As explained in the AB 900 legislation, such courses give the inmates a chance to receive nationally recognized certification in vocations that, based on the job surveys, have a good earning potential. For a lot of vocations, CDCR’s teachers are certified to conduct NCCER (National Council of Construction Education and Research) training affiliated with the University of Florida. Also, NCCER courses afford inmates the chance to receive transferable community college credit from Pima Community College in Tucson (Arizona). For other vocations, certification is done via certificates or the Microsoft Corporation. For your information, the class size throughout the CDCR is 27 students.
Because of the nature of prison education, admission is on an “open-entry/open-exit” basis. It means that new students appear on almost any day and students can depart on any day. As a result, some students are working on the same section of the curriculum at the same time. Also, the utility of group lectures and group instruction is limited. Instead, the teachers in all classes organize the students into small groups who undertake the same project. All vocational education curricula are broken into small units that are concluded with standardized examinations for proficiency focused on bookwork and exercises directly.
The Vocational Education Facilities in California Prisons
Apparently, vocational education facilities in California prisons are housed in a variety of facilities, ranging from World War II era Quonset huts to facilities specially designed as vocational education classrooms found in the newer prisons. The classrooms are more or less accessible to the yards on which the inmates stay, a crucial consideration because movements by the prisoners between yards are controlled by the prison officers. It reflects the importance of restrictions on inmate movement within the jails or prisons. Well-designed classrooms are accessible to the yards and do not need strip searches before and after class.
The materials necessary for the hands-on portion of the courses are available via both standard CDCR procurement and from sources that the teachers develop themselves. Usually, inmate teaching assistants or called clerks who are supervised closely by the teacher check out the tools, books, and other equipment. The classes are dominated by the need to keep security where there are sharp objects, knives, saws, and other standard tools which can be used as weapons. As in every corner of a prison environment, security is a main concern.
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A bookworm and researcher especially related to law and citizenship education. I spend time every day in front of the internet and the campus library.
