Prison Education: The College of Santa Fe and the New Mexico Penitentiary Approach.

Overview & Synopsis

For several years the College of Santa Fe has operated the Penitentiary Community College of Santa Fe for residents and parolees of the New Mexico Penitentiary. In an effort to evaluate and improve this program, the college hosted a Prison Education Conference for concerned professional and lay persons. This report presents the proceedings of the conference. The topics covered include: (1) the elements needed for a successful prison education program, (2) appropriate course content, (3) problems encountered in conducting such programs, (4) the consideration of program participation in granting parole, (5) methods of improving the Penitentiary Community College program, (6) the societal implications of a broadly based law education program at the penitentiary, (7) the role of technical-vocational education in such a program, (8) new funding possibilities, (9) the prison education program operated by Lewis University, and (10) the legal process by which the Illinois Department of Corrections was designated in 1972 as a special school district for administrative and financial purposes. A description of Penitentiary Community College and other educational programs operating at New Mexico Penitentiary is appended. (DC)