Stakeholder Perceptions of Prisoner Learning
The purpose of this research project is to explore the perceptions of a wide variety of stakeholders of the Tasmanian Prison Service to discover their thoughts about what prisoners learn during incarceration. By interviewing a wide range of people it is hoped that many perspectives and opinions will be gained and understood. The project will explore what people believe prisoners learn during formal learning events such as programs and education as well as the informal learning which occurs during daily prison life. The project seeks to understand what learning stakeholders think is valuable and assists in producing positive personal change within prisoner; what the benefits of this learning is to the individual and wider community; and how this learning can be enhanced within the prison environment.
What prisoners learn during incarceration impacts their likelihood of returning to crime after release, their ability to reintegrate into the community and thus impacts community safety. Providing positive learning experiences to prisoners during their incarceration has positive outcomes for the community as a whole. It is hoped that by exploring the perceptions of key stakeholders about prisoner learning during incarceration that knowledge of best practices for prison policy and practice may be expanded. This project provides an opportunity to build on previous works and to explore the perceptions within the Tasmanian community of prisoner learning.
The research will seek to answer the following questions in regards to prisoners learning experiences during incarceration:
- What do stakeholders believe prisoners learn during their incarceration?
- What learning is valued by stakeholders?
- How can valued learning be enhanced?
- What do stakeholders believe are the benefits of valued learning?
The main objectives of this research are to
- reveal the networks available to prisoners which provide for positive prisoner learning,
- to understand the learning of criminal skills which occurs within prisons,
- to understand the influence of stakeholder support for prisoner learning and
- to assist in the development of policies and programs which support positive personal change within prisoners.
How the Project Will Be Conducted
The project is being supervised by Professor Rob White and Professor John Williamson and is being conducted by Miriam Scurrah as part of her PhD in Education.
Sensitivity, confidentiality and anonymity are vital ethical considerations in a research project such as this. In order to mitigate risks individual interviews will be conducted and participants will be informed that they are free to withdraw at any time and free to refuse to answer any questions, in addition personal information will be withheld from publication.
The research will also be advertised within local courthouses, neighborhood houses and other community and business organizations, along with advertisements in local newspapers and through the internet. Individuals will also be invited via letter and email. It is also possible for people being interviewed to recommend others who the researcher may be interested in interviewing.
Documentary and statistical data available in the public forum will be collected, along with requests for specific information, if required, from government departments through the Right to Information Act 2009.
Individual face to face and telephone interviews will be conducted with a wide range of key stakeholders. Interviews will take approximately one hour and the researcher may request follow up interviews.
If requested, people interviewed can request a copy of their transcribed interview. If you would like to discuss any aspect of this study or would like to be involved please feel free to contact Miriam Scurrah on ph 0448184224. A detailed information sheet is provided to each person interviewed.
This study has been approved by the Tasmanian Social Science Human Research Ethics Committee. If you have concerns or complaints about the conduct of this study should contact the Executive Officer of the HREC (Tasmania) Network on (03) 6226 7479 or email human.ethics@utas.edu.au. The Executive Officer is the person nominated to receive complaints from research participants. You will need to quote H11400.
