There is an increasing awareness to successfully rehabilitate
and reintegrate ex-offenders into Singapore’s society. For example, the Yellow
Ribbon Project aims to improve the effectiveness of rehabilitation and
reintegration programmes through the combined efforts of community and
government organizations, such as Singapore Prison Service (SPS). However,
these programmes are insufficient to help ex-offenders overcome what is known
as the digital divide. The digital divide is defined as “ the differing amount of information between those who have
access to the Internet…and those who do not have access” (Internet World
Stats, 2014). In the context of ex-offenders, the digital divide refers to
their access, or lack thereof, to the internet especially social media.
According to Vogel (2008) prison settings restrain the inmates’ access to a
myriad of information and communications technology (ICTs), via means such as
smart phones or internet access, for both security and safety reasons. As a result,
prison inmates, after being released, often suffer from lack of ICT skills and digital
illiteracy, which refers to “the inability to use information and communication
technologies to find, evaluate, create, and communicate information, requiring
both cognitive and technical skills” (Visser, 2012). These ICT skills
encompasses various forms, including the ability to understand social media,
building knowledge on the range of currently existing social media platforms,
and the usage of social media . For example, an ex-offender may not know how to
use Google search or Facebook after release from prison due to long term
incarceration. For this reason, the SPS should implement a virtual campus to
build up ICT skills in ex-offenders as ex-offenders in Singapore face poor
assimilation in our techonlogically-driven society upon release due to low ICT
skills that result from a lack of internet access and social media during
incarceration.
Identification and
description of the problem
Having either low, or no, ICT skills as a result of limited
access to the internet, especially social media, will contribute to a host of
problems that may impede reintegration of ex-offenders into society. One
problem resulting from having low to no ICT skills reduces employment
opportunities for ex-offenders. Firstly, limited ICT skills will impede ex-offenders
from utilizing ICT, such as social networking sites, to effectively connect
with potential employers. From the business firm American Technology Research
Inc., it is postulated that an increasing
number of entrepeneurs use Skype as one of their primary means to conduct
interviews and facilitate business communication (Lin, 2006). Placing the usage
of Skype into the context of ex-offenders, a potential challenge an ex-offender
might face is being unable to attend a job interview via Skype in Singapore
because he or she does not know how to use Skype. In another article by
eLearning industry, findings reveal that eLearning is one of the top training
methods used to train both employers and employees in managing corporations (eLearning
Industry, 2014). eLearning is a form of learning that uses “electronic
technologies to access educational curriculum outside of a traditional
classroom” (eLearningNC, 2014). Methods of eLearning include online forums,
Facebook or even Twitter. Ex-offenders, upon release from long-term
incarceration, might find it difficult to cope with the concept of eLearning as
they have not learnt about it during imprisonment.
Finally, ICT can evolve significantly during the period when
offenders are serving their sentence prior to release. As ICT progressively
becomes sophisticated, ex-offenders may not be sufficiently proficient to
acquire the necessary skills needed to master ICTs. In the past, we could only
communicate with others over long distances through mobile phones. Presently,
our computers are equipped with capabilities to make calls or host conference
video calls with many people at once. The complex and ever-changing nature of ICT
itself may pose challenges for ex-offenders upon release. As a result, ex-offenders
may experience further inequality upon release. This inequality may result in
feelings of isolation accompanied by feelings of low self-worth and frustration
which lead to poor reintegration into society and thus, increase the likelihood
of re-offending (Willis & Grace, 2009). As such, this poor reintegration
into society may increase the likelihood of recidivism amongst ex-offenders.
Solution
A solution to bridge the digital divide between ex-offenders
and society is the implementation of a Virtual Campus (VC) within Singapore’s correctional
settings. The VC is a “safe, web-based IT platform that aims to provide
education, training and employment opportunities” (Kendall & Hughes, 2011)
for offenders under incarceration, so that they can better reintegrate into our
technologically-driven society upon release. One approach through the use of VC
is the specialized training of ICT skills so as to increase employability of
current offenders. For example, the VC can provide offenders opportunities to
attend various courses taught by an online tutor via Facebook or Linkedin, such
as data entry workshops provided by G-Technology computer centre. Upon completion of these courses, offenders can
be taught to create online resumes using Google Documents to record these
milestones. Upon release, this resume will continue to follow these offenders
through prison into the local community. To improve on the VC, the idea of a
secured social media and networking outlet should be implemented. Social
networking tools, such as Facebook or Skype, can be taught to offenders so as
to improve their ease of reintegration into society upon release. The VC helps
promote active interaction amongst offenders. Also, the VC promotes continuing
support to offenders through community organizations. To elaborate, the
workshops attended by offenders within VC are facilitated by external
organizations, such as G-Technology computer centre. Upon release from
incarceration, these offenders can then continue their learning or even acquire
employment opportunities with these organizations (Kendall & Hughes, 2011).
In addition, VC may even include diploma and certificate courses for offenders
to complete during incarceration so that they will be better prepared for a
literate workforce upon release.
In conclusion, the suggestion of a VC to help facilitate ease
of reintegration of ex-offenders into the local community is important.
Ex-offenders face a myriad of challenges upon release, such as stigmatization
from the community as well as the lack of employment opportunities which may
impede their reintegration into society. Therefore, providing the necessary ICT
skills to ex-offenders serves as an essential safeguard for helping them
integrate into society as well as reduces the likelihood of these ex-offenders
reoffending.
References
eLearning Industry.
(2014). Top 10 e-learning statistics that you need to know. Retrieved from http://elearningindustry.com/top-10-e-learning-statistics-for-2014-you-need-to-know
eLearningNC. (2014). What
is eLearning? Retrieved from http://www.elearningnc.gov/about_elearning/what_is_elearning/
G-TEC Education Computer
Centre. (2014). Diploma and certificate courses. In Home. Retrieved from http://gteceducation.com.sg/site/diploma_certification
Grace, R. C., &
Willis, G. M. (2009). Assessment of community reintegration planning for sex
offenders. Criminal Justice and Behavior,
36(5), 494-512.
Internet World Stats.
(2014). The digital divide, ICT and the 50 x 15 initiative. Retrieved from http://www.internetworldstats.com/links10.htm
Kendall, A., &
Hughes, J. (2011). The Alliance for digital incluson. In Working with the virtual campus action research ‘champions’ programme. Retrieved from https://www.wlv.ac.uk/pdf/sed-res-hughes-workingwithvirtualcampus.pdf
Lin, A. (2006). Business
technology statistics. Entrepreneur. Retrieved
fromhttp://www.entrepreneur.com/article/81966.
Visser, M. (2012). What
is digital literacy. In Digital Literacy
Definition. Retrieved from http://connect.ala.org/node/181197
Yellow Ribbon Project
Singapore. (2014). Who we are. In About
Us. Retrieved from http://www.yellowribbon.org.sg/about-us/yellow-ribbon-singapore.html
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