Introduction:
- Hello everyone! We made it halfway through the school year! One of the benefits in attending an institution with the quarter system is that I have the ability to take several classes throughout the academic year. Currently, I am taking a writing class and the theme is mass incarceration in the United States. Even though I am only in week six of this 10 week course, I have learned how relevant this topic is in today’s modern society. This class has broadened my understanding of how mass incarceration has only increased in the last few years. I find the prison education part the most interesting because prison education helps decrease the rate of recidivism (this is when a prisoner finds themselves being rearrested). After reading several articles about prison education, I have discovered that there are problems within this sector, specifically with the funding, effectiveness of Pell Grants, and the lack of special education programs.
Overview and Personal Thoughts:
- Aside from the fact that I am taking this course for college credit, I have found myself reading more articles and watching documentaries in my free time. I would recommend researching this topic because these prison education programs consist of higher education programs, which are currently provided by popular colleges across the United States. I think that in the future it would be fascinating to see if UCI would join colleges such as Pitzer College in providing a prison education program. By providing prisoners with higher education, they are not only able to earn a degree, but come out of prison with the basic skills for employment. With an education, these prisoners are less likely to reenter the prison systems and can adjust back into their communities with stability.
How to get started!
- For any kind of research, it is often difficult to figure out where to get started. My tip for anyone who would want to research and explore the topic of mass incarceration would be to go on Google and search for mass incarceration, specifically prison education programs. For more specific results, I would recommend looking up prison education programs and how they accommodate those with a learning disability. Keywords in the search bar allows for you to find articles that closely match your interest and will be more relevant. Youtube is also a great resource because there are news stations such as ABC News that cover and have covered this topic. Videos give informational visuals and real life stories that are interesting to learn about.
- Also, research takes time. It is normal for you to begin research for a couple of days, take breaks, and continue on for a month or however long you would like. This is your schedule and how you want to approach research.
Closing
I hope that this information inspires you to explore different topics, and I promise that it will broaden your understanding while also keeping up with current events!
Thank you for your time.
As always….. ZOTZOTZOT!!!