The unique program shows powerful results, reducing the risk of relapse in yesterday's criminals.
Researchers from MIT's Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Lab, along with researchers from the University of Massachusetts at Lowell, found that teaching prisoners web design and programming improves their self-esteem and provides digital literacy skills that help them avoid re-incarceration.
The results of the study were published in a scientific paper entitled "From Prisons to Programming: Developing Self-efficacy through virtual web design training programs", where "self-efficacy" is a term that refers to an individual's belief in their ability to perform actions necessary to achieve certain results.
The "Brave Behind Bars" program, which is accredited and conducted in five institutions of the US correctional system, includes 12-week courses in web design, which are held twice a week. As part of the program, students learn HTML, CSS, and JavaScript, and work on creating their own website as a graduate project.
A 2022 and 2023 study found that participation in the program significantly increases the level of self-esteem in prisoners, which in turn correlates with lower recidivism rates. Statistics show that the level of self-esteem directly affects the likelihood of committing crimes, including drunk driving, sexual and drug crimes.
Professor April Pattavina from the University of Massachusetts Amherst noted that "Brave Behind Bars" provides prisoners with the opportunity to develop digital literacy skills, which helps strengthen self-efficacy and prepare for re-entry into society.
In addition, those who have completed such courses and have developed a certain portfolio of prisoners will probably have much less problems with employment. After all, it is difficult to get a normal job, having on hand a certificate of serving a prison sentence. While you can take orders for web design on a freelance basis, where the role is played not by a person's education or dark past, but exclusively by practical skills.
In addition to educational outcomes, program participants reported a significant increase in motivation and self-esteem due to the acquired web programming skills.
The Brave Behind Bars program is held in a diverse environment, including institutions of different security levels and with different racial and educational backgrounds of participants, making it a uniquely powerful tool for prisoner reintegration.
Researchers from MIT's Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Lab, along with researchers from the University of Massachusetts at Lowell, found that teaching prisoners web design and programming improves their self-esteem and provides digital literacy skills that help them avoid re-incarceration.
The results of the study were published in a scientific paper entitled "From Prisons to Programming: Developing Self-efficacy through virtual web design training programs", where "self-efficacy" is a term that refers to an individual's belief in their ability to perform actions necessary to achieve certain results.
The "Brave Behind Bars" program, which is accredited and conducted in five institutions of the US correctional system, includes 12-week courses in web design, which are held twice a week. As part of the program, students learn HTML, CSS, and JavaScript, and work on creating their own website as a graduate project.
A 2022 and 2023 study found that participation in the program significantly increases the level of self-esteem in prisoners, which in turn correlates with lower recidivism rates. Statistics show that the level of self-esteem directly affects the likelihood of committing crimes, including drunk driving, sexual and drug crimes.
Professor April Pattavina from the University of Massachusetts Amherst noted that "Brave Behind Bars" provides prisoners with the opportunity to develop digital literacy skills, which helps strengthen self-efficacy and prepare for re-entry into society.
In addition, those who have completed such courses and have developed a certain portfolio of prisoners will probably have much less problems with employment. After all, it is difficult to get a normal job, having on hand a certificate of serving a prison sentence. While you can take orders for web design on a freelance basis, where the role is played not by a person's education or dark past, but exclusively by practical skills.
In addition to educational outcomes, program participants reported a significant increase in motivation and self-esteem due to the acquired web programming skills.
The Brave Behind Bars program is held in a diverse environment, including institutions of different security levels and with different racial and educational backgrounds of participants, making it a uniquely powerful tool for prisoner reintegration.
