SEAN'S FINAL DRAFT

Sean’s Final Draft
There is an increasing awareness of the need 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 a lack of ICT skills and (from) 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 in Singapore  as they face poor assimilation in our techonlogically-driven society upon release due to their 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 entrepreneurs 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 within corporate sectors (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 utilize 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 possibly, increase the likelihood of re-offending (Willis & Grace, 2009).

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 such as data entry workshops provided by G-Technology computer centre taught by an online tutor via Facebook or Linkedin. To further improve, perhaps learning platforms suh as the Integrated Virtual Learning Environment (IVLE) in NUS can collaborate with these social media to provide courses to offenders. Upon completion of these courses, offenders can be taught to create online resumes using Google Documents (or LinkedIn) to record these milestones. Equipped with the online resumes, ex-offenders can use it to acquire employment upon release. 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.

In evaluating the establisment of  the VC, it helps promote active interaction amongst offenders. Also, the VC promotes continuing support to offenders through community organizations. 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 reintegrate into society as well as reduces the likelihood of these ex-offenders reoffending[BB1] .

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