The authors of this book – Torfinn Langelid, Kaj Raundrup, Svenolov Svensson and Kevin Warner – were amongst the pioneers who laid the foundations for, and contributed to the development of, the European Prison Education Association (EPEA). As the title of the book suggests, the EPEA did not begin as such; it emerged from a group of prison educators who recognized the need to create a professional organisation to promote education in prison throughout Europe. With the EPEA in its fourth decade, it is a timely book.
The authors identify two key documents that inspired the creation of the EPEA: the European Prison Rules (1987) and Education in Prison (1990). As they state: “Both of these Council of Europe publications arose from a sense of urgency among prison administrators in Europe to drive forward fresh thinking and improve practice within penal systems”. It is no surprise that the chair of the committee that drew up the report, Education in Prison, Dr Kevin Warner, became the first chair of the EPEA, and one of the authors of this book.
The seventeen recommendations and the accompanying text in Education in Prison make it clear that prisoners have a right to education. Chapter 4 of The Emergence of the European Prison Education Association considers Education in Prison in detail and outlines how it drew on progressive penological policies and pedagogical expertise. Education in Prison recommended a wide interpretation of education, with “classroom subjects, vocational education, creative and cultural activities, physical education and sports, social education and library facilities”. Based on an adult education approach, education in prison “shall aim to develop the whole person bearing in mind his or her social, economic and cultural context”. Further, it recommended that the prison authorities should facilitate the provision of education, and finally, lack of resources should not be used as a reason to remove funding for education in prison (Council of Europe 1990: 4-5). Reflecting the rich contribution of Nordic penal policy and pedagogical practice within the EPEA, Education in Prison draws on the policy of ‘normalisation’ as “two overall complementary themes predominate”:
firstly, the education of prisoners must, in its philosophy, methods and content, be brought as close as possible to the best adult education in the society outside; secondly, education should be constantly seeking ways to link prisoners with the outside community and to enable both groups to interact with each other as fully and as constructively as possible. (Council of Europe 1990: 8-9)
The practice of education (both inside and outside prison) is not static. New developments and innovations necessitate novel approaches. The authors recognise how those involved in education in prison have attempted to respond to these changes. At the fourth conference of Directors and Co-ordinators of Prison Education held in Malta in 2000, Education in Prison was re-evaluated. In 2019, an Expert Group reviewed each of the Council of Europe’s 17 recommendations from 30 years previously. The report drawn up by Jim King, the current Secretary of the EPEA, concluded with a new recommendation, which recognised the importance of international co-operation, including the contribution of organisations such as the European Prison Education Association. Prison authorities and Education services should seek to proactively work with international agencies and organisations seeking to improve and expand access to education and training opportunities for prisoners.
The policy and practice will and should develop. However, the principles of pedagogy remain the same. Solidarity and support within the classroom, staffroom, conference room and wider society are principles that endure. The authors of The Emergence of the European Prison Education Association conclude:
We feel the EPEA has a major role to play in inspiring and encouraging educators working in prisons, and enabling them to feel part of a wider movement which is trying to play its part in helping those men and women who are kept in prison develop their potential and live more fulfilling lives. EPEA members can support each other in playing their small part in making criminal justice systems more humane, and envisaging a better and more inclusive society.
This book outlines some of the discussions, and the challenges of establishing a nascent organisation. Overcoming them has enhanced the development of the organisation, and made its progress more rewarding for future leaders of the EPEA. Today, due in no small measure to the efforts of the authors of this book and educators working in prison, it is a thriving organisation representing educators in over 30 countries throughout Europe and beyond. Although the provision of education in prison remains a challenge, the EPEA has established itself as one of the key international NGOs focused on education in prison. Over thirty years after its emergence, the EPEA continues to be relevant, indeed necessary, to ensure that prison education is considered in policy discussions and penological practice in the various jurisdictions across Europe.
The authors of The Emergence of the European Prison Education Association understand the importance of writing the EPEA’s history. Not only have they helped write the story of the EPEA thus far, they have made a substantial contribution to its development. With this book, they remind us of the essential work of the European Prison Education Association, as it continues to provide solidarity and support to educators and learners on their pedagogical journey.
