Wisdom in Education

Volume 7 Issue 1 Article 1

5-1-2017

Principles of the Hidden Heritage of Correctional Education and Reform

Thom Gehring California State University San Bernardino, [email protected]

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Recommended Citation Gehring, Thom (2017) "Principles of the Hidden Heritage of Correctional Education and Prison Reform," Wisdom in Education: Vol. 7 : Iss. 1 , Article 1. Available at: https://scholarworks.lib.csusb.edu/wie/vol7/iss1/1

This Article is brought to you for free and open access by CSUSB ScholarWorks. It has been accepted for inclusion in Wisdom in Education by an authorized editor of CSUSB ScholarWorks. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Principles of the Hidden Heritage of Correctional Education and Prison Reform

Abstract Abstract

In all fields of education, theory is in advance of practice (MacCormick, 1931, p. xii).

This essay provides a summary of the historical research themes of the Center for the Study of Correctional Education (CSCE) in the field of prison eformr and its leading edge, correctional education. Those themes have been applied at CSCE’s system of parolee schools, the California State University, San Bernardino Reentry Initiative (CSRI). The essay addresses the professional contributions of four contributors or heroes of the correctional education: Alexander Maconochie at a in the South Pacific, William George among juveniles in New York State (NYS), Thomas Mott Osborne at two NYS and one in the U.S. Navy, Stephen Duguid in British Columbia. The current author subjectively selected these four contributors. Then he arbitrarily selected six findings from the work of each. The four are informally known at the CSCE as part of the “pantheon” of correctional education contributors to the theory and practice of the field. The essay also introduces CSRI organizational experiences, in the same format as the four heroes or contributors. Each contribution has influenced the theory and practice of correctional education. The author hopes this review will help readers see the value of this literature.

Keywords correctional education,

Author Statement Dr Thom Gehring is an emeritus professor at California State University San Bernardino where he taught educational foundations and correctional education.

This article is available in Wisdom in Education: https://scholarworks.lib.csusb.edu/wie/vol7/iss1/1 Gehring: Hidden Heritage

Principles of the Hidden Heritage of Correctional Education and Prison Reform

The hidden heritage of prison reform, tradition within the larger field of criminal and its subset correctional education, can justice. The best books are long out of help cure the toxic “us and them” print and, without help, they might as well dualisms that are compounded by the be inaccessible to anyone involved in coercive/ traditional/authoritarian direct correctional education service corrections paradigm. This powerful delivery. Further, our understanding of evidence of the anomalies could change the pantheon and canon continues to the whole dynamic of corrections. It has unfold, as old books that are new to us are been overcome, however, at least to this acquired, read, and treated. All this is why point, by the apparently more powerful the history of prison reform and pull of the paradigm. correctional education is called the Proven corrections strategies are “hidden heritage” at the CSCE and by its abundantly evident to anyone who allies. It was simply not available unless approaches the evidence with an open someone directed sustained energy, over a mind, but the “those people” (dualist) protracted time, to searches that are only mindset of the paradigm inhibits open rarely rewarding. But that situation has minds. Our ability to open our minds and gradually improved, a result of the work see what is actually going on, has been done at the CSCE. prevented by our own cultural disposition. Efforts to establish CSCEs were The author hopes the essay will help pursued in Minnesota, Iowa, and New readers see the value of the important— York before CSUSB was successful with though anomalous—literature. the project; later Illinois tried, but that effort was short-lived. Only CSUSB’s Context center has worked out. The CSCE hub at CSUSB is in the College of Education What is now the CSCE’s historical line where the two first directors reside (one is of research activity was actually begun in now professor emeritus). During 1974; the CSCE itself began in 1991, and academic year 2016-2017, new CSCE was officially upgraded in 1993 to a center fellows were recruited from CSUSB’s at California State University, San colleges of Arts and Letters (the Art Bernardino (CSUSB). Correctional Department), Social and Behavioral education has a pantheon of contributors, Sciences (Sociology, Psychology, Criminal and a canon of authoritative literature; the Justice); and a new (third) director from principles presented therein are wrapped Arts and Letters. up in what is called the CSCE school of There is an East Coast CSCE Branch thought. at Virginia Commonwealth University, It took eleven years to obtain the basic and a Jails Education Branch at Montana elements of the CSCE canon. Packaged State University, Billings. CSCE has long for interested readers, this these definitive and active ties with the Correctional books are collectively called the CSCE’s Education Association (North America) “Core Library.” Those packages are and the European Prison Education currently held by 21 agencies and Association. CSCE is assigned a individuals throughout the U.S. permanent (rotating) editorship, and four There is nothing static about the prison seats on the executive board of the reform/correctional education anomaly

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international Journal of Prison Education and how neglected the anomalies have been— Reentry. even though the paradigm’s history is a However, these things do not change record of constant failure for 244 years, the fact that CSCE represents the while 23 of the 25 anomalies of which the anomalies, rather than the paradigm, of CSCE directors are aware were all glorious correctional education. In the institutions, successes by any metric, which prompt the coercive/traditional/authoritarian encouragement about the human paradigm prevails; outside the institutions potential. Two of the 25 were wardens, that same paradigm unofficially regulates and the program structures they initiated which literature—and heritage—can be differed in key ways from the themes of accessed easily. the anomalous tradition, its theory and The paradigm is totally inconsistent practice. One was put under house arrest with CSCE’s historical research findings. by the governor (Murton, 1976), and the To give an idea about the degree to which other was subjected to a long legislative the anomalies are inaccessible because of inquiry that resulted in his resignation that inconsistence, the Tannenbaum book (Serrrill, 1982). The next narrative on Sing Sing warden Thomas Mott introduces the first of the four Osborne is an indicator. Published in contributors to the theory and practice of 1933, Tannenbaum’s is the best political prison reform and correctional education biography of Osborne. The importance that will be addressed in this essay. of Osborne’s work was recognized by President Franklin Delano Roosevelt, so Alexander Maconochie he was asked to write the foreword. The Library of Congress acquired the volume This section is based on Barry (1958). in 1933 but no one had borrowed it until Maconochie was warden at the British 2005. penal colony of Norfolk Island, in the So, there is a book on a South Pacific, which would today be of great import; it had an introduction by called a maximum security institution. a U.S. president, yet no one borrowed it Soon after he arrived there in 1840 he for 72 years. The 2005 borrower was a released all the convicts from the prison teacher of plumbing in several New York for one day. They all returned that jails who was in contact with the CSCE. evening. Of course they were still on the He owns a winery. Periodically this jails island that day, just not in the prison, educator has free wine tasting events for unless they chose to be there. This was so wardens, and gives them each a free successful that he got fired quickly (even photostatic copy of a Core Library book. his letter of dismissal was full of heartfelt One time he gave them the Tannenbaum praise for his accomplishments there), but (1933) book. They often read them and the British could not find a person to sometimes get back to him expressing replace him, so he was able to implement surprise and happiness that such books his program with the convicts for four exists. A warden who got the years until the next warden arrived. After Tannenbaum book was elated about his his death Maconochie’s system was gift and reported back that he was very successfully implemented, in succession, pleased. in Ireland, the United States, and England Part of the problem is that even (though the in those countries presidential scholars totally ignored the were not released); its underlying themes Tannenbaum book. This is an indicator are now part of corrections in the Nordic about the strength of the paradigm, and

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nations. Six of his principles, and the first warden to allow convicts to talk context of each, appear below. to him, instead of only being allowed 1. Maconochie respected the convicts, to talk to an officer, with the warden treating them courteously and with then getting the message through the dignity. It was clear to the men that principal keeper, and then back to the his respect was based on his convict. During Maconochie’s recognition that they were humans, wardenship, the convicts voluntarily not subhumans. The convicts’ release eliminated the ring, which was a place from prison, and their return without where officers were not allowed to go, incident, demonstrated that shared on pain of death (the Norfolk Island responsibility can be attained, but only ring is the source of the term after respect, care, and trust were ringleader). All four of these changes already in place. He chose to helped to make the organizational implement when they culture at the penal colony actually were absolutely necessary for the pleasant (Barry, 1958, pp. 111-120). preservation of safety, and he allowed 4. He demonstrated repeatedly that convicts to be present when he made institutional security does not have to that type of decision; that had never traumatize convicts, and that officers happened before in corrections. do not have to be unkind. The Mutual respect led to many convicts Norfolk Island (convict) security force deciding to leave the prison complex provided evidence of this. With this so they could take responsibility for innovation the officers’ time could be building their own lodging, tending directed to helpful tasks, while safety and sharing gardens and livestock, and was maintained (Barry, 1958, pp. 121- so forth (Barry, 1958, pp. vii-xvi). 124). 2. Maconochie learned that quick 5. His whole program was based on transformation of everyone is not what he termed the ability to resist usually an attainable goal, but a good temptation, so inmates citizens after program can interrupt nonsocial or release (Barry, 1958, pp. 63, 72, 117, asocial behavior so convicts can have 218-220). real opportunities to learn and develop 6. Maconochie showed, beyond any at their own rates (Barry, 1958, p. reasonable doubt, that a prison can 102). move quickly from maximum security 3. Maconochie established an through , to a maximum organizational culture that was so emphasis on freedom and strong it was not threatened when any opportunity, all within a confinement particular convict, or group of setting (Barry, 1958, pp. 69-79). convicts, failed. Indeed, the possibility of failure became an William George educational strategy, because it resulted in loss of marks toward George was a wealthy manufacturer parole. This was made possible who studied street gangs in Manhattan, through many strategies. He invented boxed frequently with the gang leaders, parole (a reentry program). He was and turned them away from what they had the first warden to allow convicts who been doing so they could pursue activities had died in custody to have that supported, rather than took tombstones with their names on them advantage, of their communities. In 1895 in the prison cemetery. He was the he established a private institution to

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which judges sent juvenile criminals. society’s highest aims—and earn George was a patriot, and he had a dream excellent reputations, good press, and one night that the U.S. Constitution community support (George, 1911, would be an excellent management plan pp. 178-207). for the institution. He was thereafter able 4. American democracy, as expressed to take a “back seat” in the Junior in the U.S. Constitution and discussed Republic, as he called his institution, by Dewey (2012, 1916) can help allowing the children to run the program. people think critically, and express This section is based on George (1911). their community aspirations by 1. Nothing should be for free, without planning their individual and group labor. Still, George’s approach to activities. Democracy can be an shared responsibility allowed for excellent tool for teaching and individual differences, as in cases in learning, in part because it fosters which Republic citizens who could not cognitive-moral development work because of health reasons were (George, 1911, pp. vii-xii). assigned stipends sufficient to take care 5. Influence results not from being an of their needs. The inmates built the authoritarian, but from being a good residences (including hotels and role model. restaurants), factories, a court house, Administrators and line staff can capitol building, and president’s office, always exert their authority, but the roads, and even a jail. The Republic result of influence is more profound, had all three of the branches of more lasting, and more consistent government established in the U.S. with the goal of transformation, as in Constitution. It established a token the case of inmates, parolees, and economy to facilitate all this. One of probationers (George, 1911, pp. 248- their factories made “ginger and 295). chocolate biscuits,” which helped fund 6. If inmates are left to make the institution. (George, 1911, pp. 19- community decisions themselves, the 36, 208-247). result will be that they will make more 2. All community members should be appropriate decisions. In part, this is treated equally, as demonstrated when because inmates want to protect the the girls obtained the right to vote, as institution from getting a bad they did after going on strike. This reputation, from getting bad press. innovation was passed by the elected When they share in the responsibility, inmate legislature (all boys) and signed they share in the success, too (George, by the elected inmate president, 1911, pp. 296-314). nineteen years before women’s suffrage passed the U.S. Congress. Thomas Mott Osborne Many persons—including U.S. presidents, judges, elected officials, and Osborne was also a wealthy New celebrities who visited, said the Junior York manufacturer, an aristocrat. His Republic was more democratic than its family had a long history in abolition, “senior” cousin, the United States feminism, and other social movements. (George, 1911, pp. 138-154). He was the person who convinced 3. Institutions that are managed Franklin Delano Roosevelt (FDR) to go according to the shared responsibility into politics. Osborne worked with approach, like the Junior Republic, George (above) for about 15 years. Then, can be successful—consistent with like George, he had a dream, and decided

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that the Junior Republic’s themes might officially sanctioned as one apply in adult prisons. Beginning in 1913, (Tannenbaum, 1933, pp. 30-44). Osborne was a prison reformer at two 4. One remarked to warden maximum and one medium security Osborne that his leadership had prison, the first one as a volunteer resulted in making the prison’s big protected by the governor; he served as yard into a “large class in social ethics” warden at the other two. Like (Osborne, 1975, 1916, p. 229). Stated Maconochie, he was dogged by the prison alternatively, it is possible to system’s managers, and in his case, transform prisons into schools. charges were filed against him. The 5. The extreme complexity of the prisoners raised funds from outside for human condition results in a sense of his legal defense, and he was acquitted. adventure or mystery about how This section is based on Tannenbaum shared responsibility (democracy) can (1933), unless noted otherwise. work in a prison. We simply do not 1. We should try to avoid judging know why shared responsibility can others, especially persons who have work. As Osborne explained, any already been judged by the courts. theory about it will be proven Nothing is gained by thinking of incorrect once it bumps into a fact. inmates or parolees as enemies, as if Nevertheless, shared responsibility has we were in a permanent war against worked repeatedly, in all sorts of them. (Tannenbaum, 1933, pp. 3-29). confinement institutions 2. We can trust a group of prisoners to (Tannenbaum, 1933, pp. 149-178). do the right thing, provided the 6. The benefits of shared question or challenge is framed responsibility can be realized by all the correctly, even when no reason might prisoners at a site. exist to trust any one of them as an individual (MacCormick, 1931, pp. Stephen Duguid 208-215). 3. There is a need to struggle for Duguid worked as a prison college institutional improvements such as, administrator in British Columbia from but not limited to, the implementation the early 1970s until 1993. A prolific of democracy. However, in prisons, author and excellent speaker, he earned activities that are pursued in a bottom the respect of prison reformers/prison up way have usually led directly and educators around the world, except in the quickly to death and destruction. The U.S. His work on whether prisons can “top down/bottom up” approach is work attracted the attention of leaders in effective. Osborne abided with the many nations who were open to exploring results of prisoner elections, even the possibilities of reform and education when fools were elected to leadership in prisons. That is one reason that some positions. However, when his consider him one of the founding fathers assessment was that elected leaders of the European Prison Education were dangerous to the safety of the Association (EPEA). Another is that he institution, he abolished it and personally brought together the meeting at required a new election. He also which EPEA emerged. As with George demonstrated that this management and Osborne above, much of his work plan can convert any institution into a relates specifically to democracy inside showcase, whether or not it is confinement institutions. 1. Shared responsibility can be

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implemented throughout the whole help inmates, correctional employees, institution, as with Maconochie, and outside communities (Gehring, George, and Osborne, or within a part 1997, pp. 46-55). of the institution (Duguid, 1988, p. 174). The California State University, San 2. For confined populations, the Bernardino (CSUSB) Reentry cognitive-moral-democratic approach Initiative (CSRI) can have lasting results both inside and after release (Duguid, 1988, pp. The CSRI is a system of parolee 178-180). Corrections line staff and schools funded by the California administrators also benefit from Department of Corrections and shared responsibility principles, Rehabilitation (CDCR), through CSUSB’s especially if they apply those principles University Enterprises Corporation, and thoughtfully. managed by the College of Education’s 3. Central office administrators may Center for the Study of Correctional phase out effective shared Education (CSCE). After six years of responsibility programs, when the planning, the first CSRI was opened on corrections administration turns over February 4, 2011. Two more have been or at other times, for political reasons. established, in Victorville and Moreno When this happens, the Valley; a fourth is planned to open soon administrators usually blame the for Indio. program discontinuity on resource CSRIs are day reporting centers inadequacy (Gehring, 2012, pp. 12, (DRCs), which means that no residence 172, 435, 461). halls are located at the sites; instead, 4. Studies in the humanities, social residence for most clients is provided by sciences, and arts help inmates community organizations and agencies. understand society, and the potential They are sober living homes. The role they can have within it, as ethical growing DRC movement is part of a persons (Duguid, 1988, p. 180). robust reentry movement, which can been (Contrary to the widely accepted summarized as an effort to make parole formula for success in the local more consistent with Maconochie’s schools [knowledge, skills, and original concept (see above). In the attitudes], the reverse applies in extensive system of CDCR classification prisons [attitudes, skills, and of inmates, CSRI clients are all classified knowledge]). as either “serious and dangerous” or “sex 5. Duguid’s program showed that offender.” cognitive-moral-democratic Several dimensions of CSRI are unique development within an institution can when compared with other DRCs. There sometimes focus on unimportant are no metal detectors. Often, security details that seem a waste of time to officers are as likely to be doing things in outsiders, such as whether pizza or addition to monitoring clients: tutoring, doughnuts should be provided at a cooking cookies or pies for clients and prison commencement ceremony. staff, or phoning clients to check up on That is just part of how democracy who needs bus passes, and so forth. works, in any setting. It is just messy These are schools; CSRI site directors (Gehring, 1988). function as school principals, and clients 6. Regardless of how it is greeted are called students. Most DRCs have a outside, post-secondary education can forty hour attendance requirement; CSRI

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students are required to be there when thing if it ain’t transformational,” a they are attending meetings or classes. All variation of the CSCE term “the the mandatory courses that Parole transformational imperative.” Toward requires be completed before release are that end, the Bantu term phelendala offered, such as Anger Management, has been found to be helpful. It Domestic Violence, and Substance Abuse. means, “We don’t talk about that Other courses are organized in response anymore.” At CSRI it denotes an end to student requests: public speaking, to the merry-go-round of and leadership through service, cognitive- incarceration. The Phelendala behavioral functioning, and so on. concept suggests that students can be The CSRIs get good press. When released from some of the painful, computed according to the same personal emotions that accrue from definition, CSRI recidivism rate being a victimizer, and from being a (recommitment) is only a small fraction of victim. This is a driving force once the CDCR (State prisons) rate. There are people have decided to overcome at least six central principles that have their pasts, to begin the process of been added to the CSCE’s research transformation. themes and are confirmed by everyday 4. This same transformational experience at the CSRI. imperative should be at the center of 1. When they first hear about the everything we do, students, staff, and hidden heritage, most people defend administrators alike. Although the corrections paradigm by saying, employees usually need to focus on “That might have been possible back different tasks than students, we all then, but it cannot be done now need to learn and grow—in fact, part because current conditions prohibit of the joy of CSRI is that we are all in it,” by which they mean the current this together. extent of drug addiction, gang 5. E pluribus Unum, the motto of the involvement in crime, lack of United States, is also the CSRI motto. caregivers in the household, and so Inside the prison, the on. But CSRI demonstrates that it is coercive/traditional/authoritarian indeed possible today to develop paradigm promotes the dualisms of organizational cultures capable of gang and race. That is how two bringing out the best in people, even correctional officers can manage 200 after they have been exposed inmates (Tillman, 2017). Together, (sometimes for decades) Phelendala, the transformational organizational cultures that brought imperative, and a good organizational out the worst. (For the record, trends culture all promote peace. such as addiction, gang involvement, 6. For the recently released, each CSRI lack of caregivers, and so on, have is, therefore, the safest place in town, been constant since the modern an antidote to post release stress prison was invented, and always disorder (a variant of post-traumatic perceived as getting worse. stress disorder). In prison, inmates 2. The best security system is a good are told what to do and they do it, but organizational culture, one that at the CSRI shared responsibility is interrupts the “business as usual” encouraged, both individually and in corrections paradigm. response of the “personality” of each 3. CSRI staff use a play on words site. from the old song—“it don’t mean a

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As a result of what CSCE learned from is assumed) we already know the problem, the hidden heritage, CSRI has and (it is assumed) have already taken demonstrated—yet again—that prisoners steps to contain it? can return to the outside community as Kenyon Scudder, an important law-abiding citizens. Further, this has California warden, summarized perhaps been done without pampering anyone or the most salient aspect of a emphasizing emotional issues, and crime/corrections solution in the title of without new monies or shifts in budgeted his book, Prisoners are People (1968/1952). resources—merely through a change of This essay offered cursory data about mind. four contributors, who were selected subjectively by the author from a universe Summary and Conclusion of 25 that have been identified to date. They were Alexander Maconochie, In all fields of education, theory is in William George, Thomas Mott Osborne, advance of practice (MacCormick, 1931, and Stephen Duguid. Six of the principles p. xii). For more than 240 years the prison that were learned from the work of each system in the U.S. has failed (prisons have of those four contributors were arbitrarily gotten larger, perhaps even “created” selected from the treated data. In criminals). Nevertheless, there have been addition, experiential principles that have some examples of success during that accrued from CSUSB’s CSRI practice period. Without exception, the literature were added to the mix, as predictors of of those successes has been difficult for future research. The overwhelming persons to access, unless they spent years preponderance of this material suggests searching the historical research. Most that Scudder’s assertion was correct: people are not able or inclined to adjust prisoners are people. their schedules to devote that necessary Identifying someone’s humanity, and time and energy to the research. In part, then treating that person as a person, that lack of willingness is because of the appears at first glance rather popularity of the uncomplicated. It is a high profile, low coercive/traditional/authoritarian cost or no cost strategy to help “correct” paradigm. Why should a person try to problems of crime and corrections. learn something that is difficult, when (it

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approach. San Bernardino: California . Montclair, NJ: Patterson State University. Smith. In Scudder, K.J. (1968/1952). George, W. (1911). The Junior Republic: Its Prisoners are people. New York, NY: history and ideals. New York, NY: D. Greenwood Press. Appleton. Serrill, M.S. (1982). Norfolk: A MacCormick, A. (1931). The education of retrospective. Corrections Magazine, 25- adult prisoners. New York, NY: The 32. National Society of Penal Information. Tannenbaum, F. (1933). Osborne of Sing Murton, T.O. (1976). The dilemma of prison Sing. Chapel Hill: University of North reform. New York, NY: Holt, Rinehart Carolina Press. and Winston. Tillman, R. (2017). Interview by Thom Osborne, T.M. (1975/1916). Society and Gehring, in Moreno Valley, CA. prisons: Some suggestions for a new

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