Alabama Prisons Aim To Add Technology To Further Inmates’ Education
The Alabama Department of Corrections (ADOC) has recently released a plan aimed to lessen the cost of inmates calling loved ones while behind bars, simultaneously increasing access to educational tools for incarcerated individuals. The state is starting to add tablets and secure wireless network connections to prisons to prepare inmates for reentry back into society, as well as to reduce the rate at which the convicted criminals could reoffend.
The newly implemented technology allows inmates to receive educational training by using the tablets in a classroom setting, as well as in their own free time. This curriculum would focus on such topics as adult basic literacy, life skills, general educational development services, and entry-level vocational training. The tablets would not have access to the Internet.
According to Alabama Local News, if this goes as planned, the ADOC would supply every Alabama prison dorm with approximately 15-20 tablets and a secure wireless network to be used for educational and communication purposes.
While education of inmates isn’t necessarily the most popular or glamorous area of edtech, if this project is successful, it could make a significant impact on crime rates and workforce development in Alabama. And if that happens, it could be used as an effective model for progress across the U.S.
Effective education can be a key to reducing recidivism, and that’s ultimately the goal. If we can achieve that, we have significantly contributed to public safety.
Jeff Dunn, ADOC Commissioner