Prison Library Advocacy
From digmovements
[edit] Prison Library Advocacy and Rehabilitation
It is controversial as to whether or not the existence of a prison library assists in the rehabilitation process for incarcerated people. For the purposes of a research project, I am attempting to discover a correlation between access to information for prisoners and an accelerated rehabilitation period during incarceration.
Access to information paired with literacy plays a vital role in the personal, spiritual and educational development of all people. The mission of Prison Library Advocacy is simply to provide books, magazines, and newspapers to incarcerated people so they can then rely on their education as a tool to make permanent their rehabilitation. Also, in accessing information, prisoners will be more likely to develop an appreciation for reading, a pursuit of knowledge, and engage in behavior that is self-improving and beneficial.
The most requested text from prisoners are dictionaries, thesauruses, African American history and fiction, Native American studies, legal material, GED materials, and languages (particularly Spanish.) Other common requests include fiction, vocational-technical manuals, politics, anthropology, art and drawing, psychology, and health and fitness. This in itself is remarkable data that suggests the assertion that, with books and other forms of information, prisoners would be interested in self-improvement and development into an upstanding citizen.
By listening to these requests and responding to them, prison book programs are achieving this goal by sending prisoners free books. This activism also includes library advocacy, literacy advocacy, and fundraising.
