Prisoners and Their Access to the Internet in the Pursuit of Education

Abstract

We live in an increasingly connected world. The internet pervades our everyday existence, on our smart phones, tablets and computers, transforming the way we share and communicate with one another, shop, eat out, bank, travel, exercise, play and learn. It is often celebrated as a fundamentally democratic medium that allows the free flow of information and ideas. However, some segments of the population have little or no access to the internet and are increasingly excluded from this new mode of being and interacting. One such group is the prison population. Prisoners in Australia are generally locked away not just physically, but also virtually, with very few states or territories allowing prisoners any sort of internet access. With TAFEs and universities increasingly adopting online teaching environments, the impact of such policies is to greater disadvantage prisoners who seek to utilise their prison time to better themselves through education. The importance of education has been recognised by the international community, as has its application to prisoners, whose right to education is not lost simply by virtue of their imprisonment. Further, education plays a critical role in the rehabilitation of offenders, and has been proven to decrease recidivism markedly. This article argues that while there are real security risks associated with providing internet access for prisoners, the current blanket restrictions in place in most Australian jurisdictions cannot be justified. As will be demonstrated, there are a number of ways in which prisons can, and do, provide limited access to the internet for prisoners to facilitate their engagement in learning. Such models offer a way for prisons Australia-wide to protect the rights of prisoners and simultaneously protect the safety and interests of victims and the broader community.