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Online course delivery has made university education more accessible for many, with students logging into Curtin’s virtual campus at their convenience. However, there is one student cohort – often invisible – for which digital delivery is more of a barrier than an opportunity: incarcerated students. There are approximately 100 students undertaking study through Curtin from all over Australia.
Curtin’s Prison Outreach team helps these students navigate the many challenges inherent in studying while incarcerated. These include the application process, fee payments (incarcerated students pay the same as any other student), finding the right course, and accessing course materials. Curtin Library is an active partner in the latter, finding responsive and at times creative ways to get students’ information needs met.
Lack of access to computers and the internet is a significant issue. Students who have internet access can only use Blackboard and the Library through an intermediary (a prison education officer), who searches, downloads, and/or uploads materials on their behalf. These circumstances impact students’ ability to access course reading materials in a timely manner. Many students require materials be emailed, provided on a USB or DVD, or physically mailed.
Curtin Library embarked on a project to map and evaluate its services to this cohort with the goal of removing any library-based barriers. We met with Curtin prison support stakeholders to map the student journey and identify any “pain points”. We were able to outline the digital information landscape which can make downloading material so problematic. We learned about the systemic problems that incarcerated students face in relation to literacy, finance and disability, along with the harsh realities of the prison environment as classroom.
Our goal with this project was to find a more holistic, practical and proactive approach to service delivery. We scrutinised licenses and contract terms, met with publishers and database companies, and reviewed relevant copyright provisions. Using knowledge obtained from these activities we were then able to update and streamline our internal processes. We now have a system for obtaining offline versions of digital materials in almost any format. Working closely with Prison Outreach, we have found practical solutions to access problems that historically stood in the way of student achievement.
Research has shown that prison-based education is the most effective tool for lowering recidivism, reducing violence, and helping to create a more positive rehabilitative environment. While these students still face considerable difficulty in completing their education, the Library is doing what we can to ensure that they get the resources they need. For incarcerated people, attending university is a way of obtaining a form of freedom even when they are behind bars.
Written by Copyright Officer, Lydia Dawe
