College for
Convicts: The Case for Higher Education in American Prisons
Author: Christopher Zoukis
Publisher: McFarland and Company
Pages: 300
Genre: Social Sciences/Education
Book Description:
Provide education to prisoners and they won’t return to
crime. America accounts for 5 percent of the world’s population, yet
incarcerates about 25 percent of the world’s prisoners with about 2.3 million
men and women in U.S. facilities. Examining a wealth of studies by researchers
and correctional professionals, and the experience of educators, this book
finds an irrefutable conclusion: the likelihood of an undereducated prisoner
returning to crime is high, but recidivism rates drop in direct correlation
with the amount of education prisoners receive, and the rate drops dramatically
with each additional level of education attained.
Presenting a workable solution to America’s over incarceration and recidivism
problems, this book demonstrates that great fiscal benefits arise when modest
sums are spent educating prisoners, instead of dedicating exponentially higher
resources to confining them. Educating prisoners brings a reduction in crime
and social disruption, reduced domestic spending and a rise in quality of life.
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Excerpt
Hundreds of
articles and studies about prison education, and many papers presented at academic
and professional conferences, almost all come to the same conclusions:
Let’s understand from the start: the concept of educating prisoners is not a “bleeding-heart, humanitarian, feel-good-for-the-imprisoned” kind of cause. On the contrary, it is an issue with huge impact upon the economic stability of our country, the protection of our communities, and a higher quality of life for law-abiding citizens.
Consider this: theUS California
The growth rate in federal prisons is even worse than that of the states. While state prison populations dropped in 2009 and 2010, federal prisons are bursting at the seams, and federal prison budgets are increasing by 10% a year to accommodate the ever-growing prison population. Lawmakers are calling for the creation of a second federal “supermax” similar to “the notorious Florence ADX inColorado Alcatraz of the Rockies ’
are so harsh that the European Court of Human Rights initially refused to
extradite terrorism suspects to the United States
Hundreds of studies and all the research in the field of criminology affirm that prison education is the least expensive and most effective solution to overcrowding and strain on the budget caused by recidivism. Nevertheless, despite overwhelming evidence, policy makers and the general public still do not support funding post-secondary higher education in prisons. Year after year, even the most basic correctional educational programs are further reduced. Computers are not allowed. The result? Increased prisoner unrest and violence, and even more money spent for additional security.
Today, higher education for prisoners is almost non-existent. And, as we shall see, our failure to invest in opportunities for correctional college education weakens the very fabric of our society. With proper implementation, the impact of prison education can be enormous – not just on prisoners, but on our entire society and our nation’s prosperity. Let us hope that greater understanding will result in wise legislative action for our common good.
“In response to the American public’s growing fear of crime and the call for more punitive measures…, many legislators and policymakers have promoted building more prisons, enacting harsher sentencing legislation, and eliminating various programs inside prisons and jails. But more than half these prisoners are in on drug charges and another 10% on immigration violations, so that more than 72% of our incarcerated population are offenders with no history of violence. With re-arrest rates averaging around 67% to 80%, it is clear that incarceration alone is not working”.
In the opinion of Chief Justice William Ray Price of the Supreme Court of Missouri, “We may have been tough on crime, but we have not been smart on crime.” He noted further, “For years we have waged a ‘war on drugs,’ enacted ‘three strikes and you’re out’ sentencing laws, and thrown away the key to be tough on crime. What we did not do was check to see how much it costs, or whether we were winning or losing. In fact, it has cost us billions of dollars and we have just as much crime now as we did when we started.”
Despite all the studies that confirm society and the nation as a whole will reap significant benefits, the idea of providing post-secondary education in prisons is a hard sell. The public appears to have a visceral, but understandable, reaction against the idea of higher education for prisoners. Why, people ask, should Americans pay to provide a college education for prisoners when so many law-abiding, tax-paying citizens struggle to send themselves or their children to school? It doesn’t seem fair. Honest people have to pay to receive an education; why should prisoners get it for free?
And besides, say some of the opponents to correctional education, if we provide a learning environment for prisoners, perhaps prison will seem less terrible and serve as a less effective deterrent to crime. However, the deterrent argument fails, because people do not decide whether or not to commit a crime based on the program opportunities available if they are caught and sent to prison.
Others believe that people who commit a crime have chosen to limit their opportunities and freedoms, including access to valuable privileges like education. Therefore, handing it free to people who break the law feels wrong, feels like a slap in the face of justice.
These are legitimate concerns, but there are strong, legitimate solutions.
Make no mistake. Despite the fact that I am a prisoner myself, I do not dispute the concept of getting tough on crime. I do not advocate creating a cushy environment for prisoners. And I certainly do not propose taking privileges from deserving, hard-working people to pamper prisoners. That is not what educating prisoners is about.
So why, then, should we care about educating prisoners, educating people who didn’t care about the victims they hurt, the communities they impoverished, and the society they endangered?
We care, very simply, because they get out. Almost everyone who is locked up now is going to be set free one day. If we treat prisoners like animals the whole time they’re locked up, that’s what we’ll get when they’re back on the streets: wild, dangerous animals. But if we educate these people, give them some positive reinforcement, and introduce the idea that they’ll have something to offer society when they return to their communities, that’s what we’ll get when they are free: people who have something to offer society.”
About the Author
- Prison education reduces
crime,
- Prison education reduces
recidivism, and
- Prison education will make
an enormously positive impact on our national economy.
Let’s understand from the start: the concept of educating prisoners is not a “bleeding-heart, humanitarian, feel-good-for-the-imprisoned” kind of cause. On the contrary, it is an issue with huge impact upon the economic stability of our country, the protection of our communities, and a higher quality of life for law-abiding citizens.
Consider this: the
The growth rate in federal prisons is even worse than that of the states. While state prison populations dropped in 2009 and 2010, federal prisons are bursting at the seams, and federal prison budgets are increasing by 10% a year to accommodate the ever-growing prison population. Lawmakers are calling for the creation of a second federal “supermax” similar to “the notorious Florence ADX in
Hundreds of studies and all the research in the field of criminology affirm that prison education is the least expensive and most effective solution to overcrowding and strain on the budget caused by recidivism. Nevertheless, despite overwhelming evidence, policy makers and the general public still do not support funding post-secondary higher education in prisons. Year after year, even the most basic correctional educational programs are further reduced. Computers are not allowed. The result? Increased prisoner unrest and violence, and even more money spent for additional security.
Today, higher education for prisoners is almost non-existent. And, as we shall see, our failure to invest in opportunities for correctional college education weakens the very fabric of our society. With proper implementation, the impact of prison education can be enormous – not just on prisoners, but on our entire society and our nation’s prosperity. Let us hope that greater understanding will result in wise legislative action for our common good.
“In response to the American public’s growing fear of crime and the call for more punitive measures…, many legislators and policymakers have promoted building more prisons, enacting harsher sentencing legislation, and eliminating various programs inside prisons and jails. But more than half these prisoners are in on drug charges and another 10% on immigration violations, so that more than 72% of our incarcerated population are offenders with no history of violence. With re-arrest rates averaging around 67% to 80%, it is clear that incarceration alone is not working”.
In the opinion of Chief Justice William Ray Price of the Supreme Court of Missouri, “We may have been tough on crime, but we have not been smart on crime.” He noted further, “For years we have waged a ‘war on drugs,’ enacted ‘three strikes and you’re out’ sentencing laws, and thrown away the key to be tough on crime. What we did not do was check to see how much it costs, or whether we were winning or losing. In fact, it has cost us billions of dollars and we have just as much crime now as we did when we started.”
Despite all the studies that confirm society and the nation as a whole will reap significant benefits, the idea of providing post-secondary education in prisons is a hard sell. The public appears to have a visceral, but understandable, reaction against the idea of higher education for prisoners. Why, people ask, should Americans pay to provide a college education for prisoners when so many law-abiding, tax-paying citizens struggle to send themselves or their children to school? It doesn’t seem fair. Honest people have to pay to receive an education; why should prisoners get it for free?
And besides, say some of the opponents to correctional education, if we provide a learning environment for prisoners, perhaps prison will seem less terrible and serve as a less effective deterrent to crime. However, the deterrent argument fails, because people do not decide whether or not to commit a crime based on the program opportunities available if they are caught and sent to prison.
Others believe that people who commit a crime have chosen to limit their opportunities and freedoms, including access to valuable privileges like education. Therefore, handing it free to people who break the law feels wrong, feels like a slap in the face of justice.
These are legitimate concerns, but there are strong, legitimate solutions.
Make no mistake. Despite the fact that I am a prisoner myself, I do not dispute the concept of getting tough on crime. I do not advocate creating a cushy environment for prisoners. And I certainly do not propose taking privileges from deserving, hard-working people to pamper prisoners. That is not what educating prisoners is about.
So why, then, should we care about educating prisoners, educating people who didn’t care about the victims they hurt, the communities they impoverished, and the society they endangered?
We care, very simply, because they get out. Almost everyone who is locked up now is going to be set free one day. If we treat prisoners like animals the whole time they’re locked up, that’s what we’ll get when they’re back on the streets: wild, dangerous animals. But if we educate these people, give them some positive reinforcement, and introduce the idea that they’ll have something to offer society when they return to their communities, that’s what we’ll get when they are free: people who have something to offer society.”
Christopher Zoukis, a
28-year-old writer who is incarcerated at FCC Petersburg (Medium), is an
impassioned and active advocate for prison education and prisoners' rights in this
nation's prison systems, a noted legal commentator and practitioner, and a
prolific writer of books, articles, and legal treatise.
Criminal Justice Books
Mr. Zoukis is the author of College
for Convicts: The Case for Higher Education in American Prisons
(McFarland and Company, 2014), United Blood Nation: The Story of the East
Coast Bloods (Headpress, 2015), the Directory of Federal Prisons
(Middle Street Publishing, 2014), and Education Behind Bars: A Win-Win
Strategy for Maximum Security (Sunbury Press, 2012).
Legal Articles
In addition to his books,
Mr. Zoukis is also a contributing writer at Huffington Post,
Blog Critics, and Prison Legal News, and is a New York Journal
of Books authorized book reviewer.
His book reviews, articles, and essays have appeared in the Huffington
Post, Kansas City Star, The Sacramento Bee, Blog Critics,
Midwest Book Review, Seattle Post-Intelligencer, SF Gate, AND
Magazine, AND Society, along with content being syndicated by the
Associated Press, Google News, Yahoo News, and the FedCURE News Network.
Writing Awards
In 2011, Mr. Zoukis'
creative work won PEN American Center Prison Writing Awards for his screenplay
"Healing Bin Laden" (Drama-Second Place) and his short story
"Jesusland" (Fiction-Honorable Mention). And in 2014, Mr. Zoukis' Directory of
Federal Prisons e-book won the prestigious Independent Book Publishers
Association's Silver Benjamin Franklin Digital Book Award.
Websites and Legal Writing
Commitments
In addition to his award
winning writing, Mr. Zoukis is the founder of PrisonEducation.com, PrisonLawBlog.com,
and a former editor of the Education Behind Bars Newsletter. He is a contributing writer at Prison
Legal News and the Huffington Post, along with being a former staff
writer at the State and Federal Criminal Law Review, The Update:
Federal Criminal and Immigration Law, and the Texas Criminal Law Review.
Legal Projects
Currently, Mr. Zoukis is
engaged in a number of larger legal and non-legal projects. On the legal side, he is currently suing the
Federal Bureau of Prisons over their refusal to treat Attention Deficit
Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and Attention Deficit Disorder(ADD), lack of
adequate dental care for federal inmates, and is assisting several inmates
seeking treatment for Gender Identity Disorder (GID) that is in line with
prevailing community standards of care and the World Professional Association
for Transgender Health (WPATH) Professional Standards. Mr. Zoukis is currently assisting two
transgender federal inmates in suits against the Federal Bureau of Prisons
(along with counseling and handling administrative remedies for half a dozen
others), and is litigating on behalf of both prisoners in the Virginia State
Supreme Court in an effort to effectuate name changes.
Writing and advocating for
prison education and prisoners' rights isn't all that Mr. Zoukis has been doing
behind bars. He has taught a popular
course to over 100 fellow prisoners entitled "Writing and
Publishing", and regularly advises fellow inmates and prison consulting
groups about matters surrounding Federal Bureau of Prisons' policy and the
federal regulations governing it.
Mr. Zoukis has become
successful in the administrative and regulatory prison litigation realm and is
now a sought after consultant on a number of matters (both in-prison and out-of-prison). Following his release from custody in 2018,
he plans to go into the prison consulting and litigation field.
Non-Legal Projects
On the non-legal side, Mr.
Zoukis' literary team -- which is headed by Rachel Sentes of Gal Friday
Publicity, Greg Aunapu of the Salkind Literary Agency, and Dr. Randall Radic of
Middle Street Publishing -- are currently pitching several of Mr. Zoukis'
novels and nonfiction works to publishers in the United States and Canada. Two such titles are Mr. Zoukis' Facing
Federal Incarceration book, and his debut science-fiction novel Hamish.
Legal Credentials and
Associations
Mr. Zoukis holds numerous
legal credentials as to paralegal studies and certification. These include the following credentials from
the Blackstone Career Institute:
·
Diploma in Paralegal Studies
(with distinction)
·
Advanced Certificate in
Criminal Law and Procedure
·
Advanced Certificate in
Civil Litigation
·
Advanced Certificate in
Business & Corporate Law
He is also a graduate of the
Long Ridge Writers Group and graduated from Global University's Certified
Minister Certificate Program. Mr. Zoukis
is currently enrolled at Adams State University, where he is nearing the
completion of an additional Paralegal Certificate, and his Bachelors of Arts in
Sociology (with an emphasis in criminology) degree.
Mr. Zoukis maintains strong
ties with the prison, prison education, legal, and writing communities through
his memberships with related organizations, several of which include:
·
American Bar Association,
including:
·
ABA Criminal Justice Section
·
ABA Section on Litigation
·
American Civil Liberties
Union
·
American Correctional
Association
·
Correctional Education
Association
·
National Association of
Independent Writers and Editors
·
National Alliance of
Sentencing Advocates and Mitigation Specialists
·
National Lawyers Guild
·
National Legal Aid &
Defender Association, including:
·
NLA Appellate Defender Section
·
National Writers Association
·
National Writers Union
·
PEN American Center
·
Pennsylvania Prison Society
·
Society of Professional
Journalists
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