In an ongoing effort to support the education of incarcerated youth and adults, Bringing Family Literacy to Incarcerated Settings: An Instructional Guide is offered as a supplement to the From Incarceration to Productive Lifestyle series. This most recent document shares the valuable experiences of numerous individuals and agencies who have successfully incorporated family literacy into incarcerated education programming.

For many years, the New York State Education Department (NYSED) advocated its Instructional Delivery System Model as a means to increase the economic self-sufficiency of youth and adults after release from incarceration and to reduce or eliminate altogether the likelihood of repeat criminal behavior and recidivism. As depicted below, this model consists of an academic component, a transition component, and an equally important continuum of support services.

Family literacy is a promising approach to providing the comprehensive family education called for in the Instructional Delivery System Model. To that end, the efforts of several programs in New York State (NYS) have created a blueprint for integrating family literacy services into incarcerated programs.

One of the earliest program models was developed through the Albany City School District. The significant pieces of its model were the development of a life skills/parenting class and a structured time for incarcerated parents to be together with their children. The activities that occur during the family’s time together have a literacy theme and are appropriate to the learning level of both parent and child.

“If we believe that promoting healthy relationships between parent and child reduces risk to children, it make sense to pay attention to the parenting role of inmates. Indeed, most incarcerated parents will be released from jail and will parent in the community. So, it seems wise to view prisoner parents as parents who can and do contribute to the optimal development of their children and to use their time in prison to promote healthy attachment.”
Family and Corrections
Network Report Issue 3 1994