Educational Perspective

First, I want to begin by saying I had an amazing time tutoring at the prison, I am so encouraged and enthused from just one tutoring session that I’m positive this internship is going to be an amazing experience. I think more than anything there were several things that I learned from the prisoners I tutored that really sparked and interest for me to research, and talk about.
I’ve only been to one other prison in my life, a much smaller prison in my home state. Walking into a prison is an extremely unique experience, and being immersed into prison life is extraordinary. Walking into a prison is like walking into a time warp, everything stops, the world around you seems to come to a complete halt, the walls seems to fade, and you almost put yourself in trance. Walking from room to cage to room to cage, lock, lock, lock. There is no movement that is not monitored, it seems like every step I take is recorded and logged deep within the tiles that I step on. As I began to think about the immensity of the footsteps, how many steps forward actually were steps backward, because each step forward was a loss of time. How many lives were halted, family connections lost, and lives forgotten behind the medal bars of Auburn?
The Auburn state prison has a very interesting history, and has been one of the leading prison institutions for change in the prison system throughout history. The Auburn Correctional Facility was the United States first prison ever built, in 1817. As the prison system has changed over time, Auburn has been a leading agent in change and reform within the prison system. In the State of New York, Auburn prison was the first prison to use capital punishment for harsher crimes. The Auburn Prison continued this reputation of change; with being one of the first prisons in the United States and New York State to make an active effort in changing to prison for rehabilitation.
In fact, when tutoring the prisoners the immensity of Auburn prisons reform system, and the effects is has had in the inmates life is extraordinary. For example, there were two inmates that I tutoring last session. There was an older inmate in his mid 40s, and a younger inmate he was 19 (the youngest in the prison). They had formed this bond, like a father and son in a sense. As we were reviewing countless algebraic equations, math word problems, I began to get to know the inmates a little better. The elder prisoner began to tell me about the prison educational system. He stated that every prisoner under the age of 65 is required by the State of New York to take educational classes. There are three levels of classes for prisoners to take. Every prisoner willing takes a placement test that places them in one of the three levels. The first level is for inmates who score lower then a high school level overall, and they take classes, and have independent study within their cells, etc. Then there is the intermediate level, where inmates are studying for their GEDs (which is where my tutoring sessions fit in), and then if inmates achieve their GEDs and they have the option of getting a college degree, in the third level.
He also talked about the “Box Prisons.” If at any time while in prison a prisoner gets in trouble they can be sent to solitary confinement prison. In this prison inmates are allowed to test for their levels. While in box prison inmates are confided to their cell for 23 hours a day and are let out one hour a day. Even though these conditions may seem extreme, these prisoners are being punished for committing crimes while in prison. But even while being punished prisoners are offered the opportunity to better themselves and grow. While in solitary confinement they have cell-to-cell teaching, where a tutor where a tutor will bring a study book to each cell, and if the prisoners have questions they can write the tutor and the tutor will write back to the prisoner. This may not seem like the best learning atmosphere, but for inmates the opportunity is immense. The older inmate told me “your locked up for23 hours a day what else is there to do but study your book?” He said from being in solitary confinement he studied enough to be able to pass the GED placement test and be placed in the GED course. What was so astonishing to me was the number of inmates who don’t take advantage of these opportunities. The elder inmates states that out of all of the prisoners in the Auburn prison system only six opted to take the GED placement test when he took it, and out of those six only three passed the test; even though every prisoner was offered the opportunity. This brings me back to my question of rehabilitation… the prison offers rehabilitation; but just like in the public school systems and in universities; everyone is offered an opportunity but not everyone grasps the importance of that opportunity. Just sitting and listening to these two inmates talk about life and their perspectives. This elder inmate in his 40s has been in prison for 12 years already and in year twelve after being placed in solitary confinement he is taking the steps to make a change in his life. As the 19 year old sat and listened he tuned out half way through the tutoring session, and didn’t care anymore. Here his is sitting with help in front of him, but he isn’t listening, he doesn’t care….

What does that mean?

Sites to look at:
· http://www.insideprison.com/auburn-correctional-facility.asp
· http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Auburn_Correctional_Facility
· http://www.co.cayuga.ny.us/history/cayugahistory/prison.html -history
· http://media.www.dailyorange.com/media/storage/paper522/news/2007/03/02/Feature/Perp-School.Su.Students.Give.Inmates.At.Auburn.Correctional.Facility.Second.Chan-2753467.shtml