Volatile learning environments
Exploring the barriers to inclusion in prison education through collaborative writing
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 16778369 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Scott Thomas (0009-0003-3100-6720, corresponding author), Jonathan Glazzard (0000-0002-6144-0013, University of Hull, corresponding author) |
| Year | 2025 |
| Volume | 23 |
| Issue | 8 |
| Pages | 1416-1430 |
| Publication date | 2025-11-01 |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Policy Futures in Education (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 1478-2103 • E-ISSN: 1478-2103 |
| Publisher | SAGE Publications (PUBLISHER • US) |
| DOI | 10.1177/14782103251341407 |
| OpenAlex | W4410218504 |
| Language | EN |
| Citations received | 1 |
| References cited | 19 |
Education in prisons is intended to transform lives. It fulfils a major role in rehabilitation and is critical to ensuring that incarcerated people have the necessary knowledge and skills to lead meaningful, productive and economically active lives when they are released back into the community. However, there is substantial evidence that highlights the poor quality of education in prisons in the United Kingdom (UK), due to lack of ambition, narrow curricula, weaknesses in assessment and lack of attention to learners’ starting points. Our review of the literature has highlighted a lack of studies which specifically privilege the voices of prison educators and prisoners who have participated in education courses during their time in incarceration. This paper draws on our conversations between both authors to illuminate the barriers to inclusion in relation to prison education. Several issues are highlighted, including lack of consistency, volatile learning environments and lack of support for learners who are enrolled on higher education courses. We offer some tentative recommendations to advance policy and practice in prison education that are informed by the literature and international comparisons
Criminology · Mathematics education · Pedagogy · Political science · Prison · Public relations · Sociology · Gender Studies · Higher Education Practises and Engagement · Innovative Education and Learning Practices · Psychology · Teacher Education and Leadership Studies
The Irregular School
‘Education changes a person’
Getting the Debate Right
“Education as the practice of freedom?” – prison education and the pandemic
The Sage Handbook of Qualitative Research Ethics
A race to the bottom – prison education and the English and Welsh policy context
Inclusive education
Distinguishing Radical Teaching from Merely Having Intense Experiences While Teaching in Prison
| Citations per year | 1 |
|---|---|
| Citation span | 2026 - 2026 (1) |
| Highly cited | No |