0 THE ROLE OF THE PRISON LIBRARY IN THE REFORM AND REHABILITATION PROCESS Tony Stevens A study submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of: Doctor of Philosophy at The Department of Information Studies The University of Sheffield June 1995 VDK I THE ROLE OF THE PRISON LIBRARY IN THE REFORM AND REHABILITATION PROCESS Tony Stevens ABSTRACT This study evaluates the contribution made by the prison library to the rehabilitation of adult male offenders. The research was undertaken in ten prison establishments in England and Wales, and examined a diverse sample of the inmate population. A qualitative methodology was employed, using semi-structured interviews. In total, 124 interviews with inmates, 62 interviews with staff and 20 interviews with ex-offenders recently released from custody, were conducted. The project examines different components of prison library operations and their impact upon the rehabilitative process. Principally, the role of the library as an educational resource, as an information provider and as a source for recreational reading are analysed. In addition, the influence of religious material supplied by the library is also discussed. Throughout the study particular reference is made to the value of cognitive-behavioural interventions with offenders. Through such interventions inmates can begin to take responsibility for their own actions and address their own pattern of offending. A library service can support such interventions in three principal ways: empowering the prisoner with information, providing help with a range of practical skills and helping change inmates, attitudes and behaviours. A key factor examined is the potential of the library to provide an appropriate learning environment for prisoners to tackle these issues and internalise pro-social responses. The central conclusion of the study is that there has been a failure of all parties to fully realise the rehabilitative potential of the prison library. Four main factors are identified -a lack of appreciation of the unique environment in which prison libraries operate, the persistence of the view that the prison library is simply another branch of the public library service, the narrow perception of the role of the prison librarian and a failure to integrate the work of the library with the work of the prison. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS The assistance of the Prison Service Agency in facilitating this study is acknowledged. The co-operation of all those who took part in the research is also recognised. CONTENTS TEE ROLE OF THE PRISON LIBRARY IN THE REFORM AND REHABILITATION PROCESS Introduction Aims and objectives 1 Previous research 2 Structure of the report 6 Chapter One Imprisonment and Rehabilitation 9 1.1 The causes of crime 11 The person centred model 11 The situation centred model 13 The cognitive model: an interactionist approach 15 1.2 The meaning of rehabilitation 16 1.3 The prison environment and rehabilitation 18 The purpose of prison 18 The rehabilitative ideal 22 The influence of prison conditions 23 Regime design and delivery 26 The influence of the prison environment 29 1.4 Measuring the success of the process 40 The use of reconviction rates 41 Psychological testing 51 1.5 An overall summary 55 Chapter Two The Historical Context 58 2.1 Prison libraries and the models of rehabilitation 59 2.2 The reform model 60 2.3 The rehabilitative ideal 62 2.4 The treatment model 63 2.5 'Nothing works, and the library 66 2.6 Rehabilitation and reinstatement 67 2.7 The cognitive-behavioural model 68 2.8 Selective incapacitation 71 2.9 Rationale and legitimacy revisited 73 2.1 0 Evaluation 80 Chapter Three Methodology 81 3.1 The use of interviews 81 3.2 Advantages of interviews 82 3.3 Disadvantages of interviews 86 3.4 Evaluation 89 3.5 Particular problems of conducting research in prison establishments 89 Operational factors 90 Relationship factors 92 Institutional factors 94 Process factors 95 3.6 The interview schedules 98 The prison based interviews 99 The interviews with ex-offenders 119 3.7 Implementation of the research design 120 3.8 Inmate selection 120 3.9 The interpretation of qualitative data 122 The holistic fallacy 123 Elite bias 123 Going native 124 3.10 Strategies taken to avoid bias 125 Chapter Four The Prison Library and Education 127 4.1 Education and rehabilitation 127 4.2 Integration of the library and prison education 131 4.3 Factors determining integration 133 4.4 Negative attitudes toward prison education 137 4.5 The prison library and literacy 145 4.6 The prison library and open learning 153 4.7 The importance of independence in self-directed study 156 4.8 The library as a neutral space 160 4.9 The library as a unique resource 161 4.10 Political and ethnic consciousness 163 4.11 The prison library and offending behaviour 165 4.12 Long term prisoners 167 4.13 Evaluation 170 Chapter Five The Prison Library and the Provision of Information: The Issues 175 5.1 The prison: an information-poor environment 176 5.2 Objective 1: Providing the appropriate levels of information 177 Under-resourcing 177 Staff expertise 178 Inmate awareness 179 5.3 Objective 2: Presenting information effectively 180 5.4 Objective 3: Ensuring inmates are equipped with the necessary information skills 182 Cognitive deficits 182 Expectations 183 Articulation of needs 184 5.5 The grapevine 185 5.6 The role of the prison library as an information provider to inmates 188 5.7 The nature of information needs 191 5.8 The involvement of the prison library 195 5.9 The attitudes of prisoners towards information provision 200 5.10 The prison library and advice 206 5.11 The role of the prison library as an information provider to other departments 213 5.12 Summary 217 Chapter Six The Prison Library and the Provision of Information: The Evidence 218 6.1 Self-help material 219 6.2 Community information 225 6.3 Current affairs 227 6.4 Re-integration information 233 Employment and training information 234 Welfare rights information 238 Accommodation 242 6.5 Factors constraining the effectiveness of information provision 243 Resource availability and organisation 243 Negative attitudes 249 Low inmate literacy 251 6.6 Factors promoting library effectiveness as an information provider 253 Independence 253 Development of information skills 254 Inmate receptivity 255 6.7 Other research findings 257 6.8 Information provision to particular groups 259 Long termers 259 Remand prisoners 261 Older prisoners 262 Vulnerable prisoners 263 6.9 The prison library and information provision: an overview 296 Chapter S even Recreational Use of the Prison Library 300 7.1 The duration of reading 301 7.2 The benefits of reading 303 7.3 Criticisms of the benefits of recreational reading 308 7.4 Bibliotherapy 310 7.5 Reading as a stimulus 314 7.6 Reading as a coping mechanism 316 7.7 Reading as a creative use of time 326 7.8 Reading as empowerment 333 7.9 Reading as a diversionary activity 335 7.10 Reading as a mental challenge 339 7.11 Changes in reading patterns 342 7.12 Reading and insight 347 7.13 Non-book material 351 7.14 Reading and segregated prisoners 353 7.15 Reading and the long term prisoner 356 7.16 Evaluation 358 Chapter Eight Religious Material and the Prison Library 365 8.1 Religious belief and moral action 365 8.2 The statutory provision of religious material within the prison library 369 8.3 The prison library: a comprehensive stock of religious material 370 8.4 The prison library: a source of religious information only 372 8.5 The prison library: no religious stock 372 8.6 Voluntary donations 373 8.7 The Prism Project 374 8.8 The Way To Happiness Foundation 378 8.9 Prison Christian Book Ministries 381 8.1 0 The Prison Phoenix Trust 384 8.1 1 Evaluation 386 Chapter Nine Constraints on Library Operations 395 9.1 Regime constraints Access 396 Priority of the library within the regime 404 Integration and communications 407 9.2 Staffing issues The input from the professional librarian 416 The input from support staff 419 Training 422 Isolation of library staff 425 9.3 Resourcing Financial arrangements 427 The resources and stock of the prison library 429 9.4 Awareness and promotion Promotion 436 User needs 438 User education 440 Stock display 443 9.5 Negative attitudes 448 9.6 A reactive approach to service delivery 456 9.7 Evaluation 459 Chapter Ten Conclusions and Recommendations 464 10.1 The rehabilitative rationale of the prison library 466 10.2 The research evidence: some negative perceptions 467 Librarians 467 Governors 469 Civilian staff 470 Officers 471 Prisoners 471 Summary 474 10.3 The research evidence: the prison library as a positive influence in the rehabilitative process 474 10.4 The research evidence: some recommendations 477 Operational issues 477 The library user 481 Stock management 481 Staffing 491 Organisation and mangement 493 Purpose and objectives 497 10.5 The future development of prison libraries 498 Privatisation 500 Lack of central cohesion 501 Local government re-organisation 501 Introduction of mobile services 502 10.6 Conclusions 502 Bibliography 508 Appendices 532 I INTRODUCTION In the past, prison libraries have been closely associated with a rehabilitative function (Fyfe, 1992, px). For example, in the nineteenth century, the prison*library provided positive moral literature and religious texts in order to convert the inmate, both spiritually and behaviourally. As theories of criminal behaviour and reformation became less simplistic, the clarity of the rehabilitative role of the prison library dimmed. Although the provision of a library within every prison establishment is now a statutory requirement, its role and purpose in relation to the rehabilitation of the offender is unclear.