Emily Wheeler
The Corsair.
From literacy to General Educational Development (GED) preparation to vocational education programs, prisons have historically attempted to offer at least some basic education to inmates in prison. Most employers recognize the GED as an alternative for a high school diploma, which is necessary for most jobs. Some believe that this educational program only provides better educated criminals. However, statistics show that there is a decrease in the return to the jail for those inmates who completed some type of educational course.
Escambia County Jail does not offer GED programs to adult prisoners. The Juvenile Detention Center does offer a GED prep program as well as classes for a high school diploma.
Ken Baker, a prisoner at Escambia County Jail, is in his third year of a four-year sentence. He said earning a GED would have prepared him for life after jail.
“I did not graduate high school. I was the boy that your parents would ban you from seeing,” Baker said. “Being put away for four years has been a life changing event in my life. I do believe that being locked up in here was for the better. But if I could have been leaving here with a GED, I would be able to start my life right when I was released.”
Another inmate, John Summerall, said “ECJ does not offer any certifiable educational programs due to the fact that more than half of the inmates would not take advantage of these programs if they were offered. I was told that it would be a waste of money to hire teachers to teach a course that only 15 inmates would take. Now when I get released in 4 months I have to go find a place where I can get a GED.
“It’s not the money I care about spending when I get out of here to take the GED but it’s the fact that I won’t be able to find a job immediately when I’m released. I have to wait close to six more months after I’m released to be able to take care of my daughter’s needs.”
According to passged.com, research shows that many inmates would be less likely to return to jail if they started off on the right foot when they were released the first time. It actually costs less money to hire a teacher for these inmates than it does to put them back in jail.
Escambia County is currently trying to find a cheaper way to offer these programs for the inmates that are interested in turning their lives around.
“Isn’t jail supposed to be where people have to think about their actions and try to turn their lives around,” Summerall said. “If prison is for that reason, the county need to provide us with the materials to do such that. Nobody in here wants to come back.”