Unique TV Programming Gives New Jersey
Inmates a Prime Time Education

September 2003

By MEGHAN MANDEVILLE
Corrections Connection Network News

What do Egypt's Golden Empire, Tragedy at Pearl Harbor and Alcoholism in America have in common? As topics, not much, but they all have educational value. These documentary titles are all part of the New Jersey Department of Corrections' attempt to enhance inmate learning through a newly implemented educational TV program that replaces Jerry Springer's talk show with Ronald Reagan's biography.

"Basically we have ventured to, in every way possible, further the education of our inmates," said New Jersey Corrections Commissioner Devon Brown. "If there's any one entity that will enhance success, it's educational enlightenment," he added. "This offers the most hope for our inmate population."

To further expand inmates' education, the DOC has abandoned basic television programming like talk shows in favor of videos about health care, life skills, historical events and famous people.
"TV is relished by inmates," Brown said about the practicality of using it as an educational tool. "They look forward to it."

Inmates throughout the New Jersey correctional system are allowed to watch six or more hours of television each day, depending on the facility, and videos from National Geographic, the History Channel, PBS and other educational sources have become their standard programming.

"Our goal was to eliminate as much of this junk TV programming as possible," said Brown, citing Jerry Springer as an example. "There's no value to watching these programs," he added.

Programs about HIV/AIDS, domestic violence, world leaders, and home improvement do have value, however, in that they further inmate rehabilitation.
"It's instilling educational value; this is not just entertainment," Brown said about the new television programming that is intended to broaden inmates' realm of knowledge, rather than just help them pass the time.

To keep inmates interested in the shows, the programming is coordinated with the classroom instruction that they receive and teachers give them questions to answer about the programs they have watched, essay assignments relating to the video topics and word-finds.

"We try to implement some incentives," said Patty Friend, acting director of Education for the DOC. If inmates successfully complete the exercises that accompany the videos, they are often rewarded with a dictionary, a book, or some items from the commissary, she said.

Inmates are also involved in choosing which videos they will see. At each facility, an Inmate Liaison Committee comprised of offenders from each housing unit and the supervisor of education selects programming for the month from a topical list of videos. These titles are exchanged between facilities, borrowed from libraries, and purchased using money from the Inmate Welfare Fund, a combination of commissary funds and inmate contributions.

"[Inmates] buy into it because they're the ones who actually pick the videos," Friend said. "They have a stake in this also."

Having pre-determined, educational programming at the facilities not only serves the inmates, but also benefits the staff in that it helps them to better manage the inmate population.

"One of the unique features of this project is that the inmates can't change the channel," said Brown about a past practice that led to many conflicts between inmates. "There would be great turmoil, sometimes even bloodshed," he said, when inmates fought over television programs.

The new program means many old practices have changed.

"Everyone can take part in this learning," said Friend, noting that, previously, the more aggressive inmates tended to monopolize the TV.

Inmates have thus far been receptive to the educational TV that usurped their familiar talk shows, soap operas, and sitcoms in January 2003.

"We started off small," Friend said about implementing the new programming in the department's 14 facilities.

Inmates first received a letter from Brown detailing the changes that were taking place and explaining that the DOC's main objective was for inmates to return to the community more skilled, better educated, and with an appreciation for the concept of community.

To give inmates an opportunity to get acquainted with the new program, educational videos were first shown for only a few hours during each day.
"We very slowly and systematically went about introducing the programming, gradually increasing the number of hours during the day in which the tapes would be shown," said Brown.

Since educational TV has been in full-swing, there have been no conflicts and inmates seem to enjoy the programming, Brown added.
"The inmate population has accepted this extremely well," said Brown. "Indications are they look forward to seeing the programs."

Given the success of New Jersey's educational TV initiative, other states have also expressed interest in the program.

"We have received many, many calls from other state correctional systems," said Brown, noting that New Jersey is the only state to have implemented this type of program throughout its entire penal system.

Educational TV won't eliminate the need for classroom instruction in correctional facilities, Brown said. "But it will further the educational process in a very efficient way," he added.
So, even during non-classroom hours, when New Jersey inmates are sitting, watching TV, their minds will be at work, learning about things like the lives of past presidents, hepatitis, pregnancy, and geometry.

"We cut down on idleness," said Brown. "Idle hands are the devil's workshop."

(This article was reprinted with permission from The Corrections Connection Network News at www.corrections.com.)