Brazil Allows Some Prisoners to Shorten their Sentences By Reading Literary/Philosophical Books

[veritas]

Only some inmates are permitted to participate

 

 

 

 

 

Now here’s a novel idea. One way to solve prison overcrowding, promote literacy, and empower inmates, in one fell swoop? Offer inmates the chance to shorten their sentences by reading.

 

That’s right, Brazil’s government recently rolled out a new program, Redemption through Reading, that allows inmates to shave four days off their sentence for every book they read, with a maximum of 48 days off their sentence per year, Reuters reported Monday. The program will be extended to certain prisoners in four federal prisons in Brazil holding some of the country’s most notorious criminals.

 

According to Reuters, a special panel will determine which inmates are eligible to participate. Those chosen can choose from works of literature, philosophy, science, or the classics, reading up to 12 books a year. Flashback from grade school: they’ll have four weeks to read each book and write an essay that must “make correct use of paragraphs, be free of corrections, use margins, and legible joined-up writing,†according to a notice published Monday in Brazil’s official gazette.

 

 

 

Read more here: http://www.csmonitor.com/Books/chapter-and-verse/2012/0626/In-Brazil-s-prisons-inmates-shorten-sentences-by-reading

[hjffkj]

That is very interesting. I wonder what type of prisoners will be allowed to participate.

[Hunter's Moon]

I think this is a great idea for inmates in for non-violent crimes. They may find a passion that will keep them out of trouble once out of prison, and be able to further themselves.

[TheReader]

I find it incredibly unlikely that anyone in prison in Brazil has the literacy to finish a book and write a polished paper over it, quite frankly. I think it's a great measure for boosting literacy, but I suspect that inmates will quickly find a way to cheat the system and shorten their sentences w/o actually reading the books/writing the reports. 

 

A linked article/blog post (linked at the bottom of the first article) mentions that, among other things, prisoners' rights to visitors is a protected right; I picture the visitors taking down book titles and returning with finished reports they've hired out, to shorten their loved one's sentence. 

 

http://www.csmonitor.com/World/Americas/Latin-America-Monitor/2012/0716/Brazil-s-solution-to-prison-overcrowding-time-off-for-reading-books

 

(for those wondering at my cynical attitude and seemingly judgemental take on this, remember that I just returned to the US after 6 yrs in Brazil; the literacy rate is pathetic)

[veritas]

I find it incredibly unlikely that anyone in prison in Brazil has the literacy to finish a book and write a polished paper over it, quite frankly. I think it's a great measure for boosting literacy, but I suspect that inmates will quickly find a way to cheat the system and shorten their sentences w/o actually reading the books/writing the reports. 

 

 

TheReader,

 

That's what Malcolm X did.

He learned to read and write while in prison.

[TheReader]

TheReader,

 

That's what Malcolm X did.

He learned to read and write while in prison.

 

Note that I was not, am not, generalizing to the entire prison population of the world, nor saying that I think it impossible that one can learn to read while in prison. I was/am merely commenting on what I observed first hand at the way things are generally done there, and the literacy/reading fluency of the poor in Brazil. While on the surface this sounds like a really neat program for improving literacy among the incarcerated, I just do not see it working, realistically, in Brazil. 

 

Key words being "in Brazil" and again, based on my personal observations during our 6 yrs living there. 

[TheReader]

Will they offer a means for those lacking in writing skills to learn them?  Seems rather unfair otherwise.

 

It isn't the worst idea I've ever heard.

 

there is already a program in place where they can shorten their sentence by going to school while in prison; if the same people can utilize both programs, it *might* stand a chance at working for some. 

[TheReader]

The governor of NY introduced an idea to allow inmates to complete a college degree while in prison.  It was not a very popular idea.  His reasoning is that it will save money.  I agree with him on that point, but it is a hard sell when you have law abiding citizens who struggle to pay for their own college educations. 

 

I don't think the program in Brazil is for a college degree; there already are public (free) universities, but they have very stringent admittance exams; there are many other private (paid) universities, with less stringent exams. Many Brazilians already feel it's a very lopsided/skewed system, in that, to get into the free universities, one almost certainly had to have attended expensive private schools for pre-university education; the public schools do not even come close to preparing one for the public universities. So the people who need the financial assistance of a free university cannot attain it due to the poor prep they got in their free education up to that point; the people who can get into the free universities, generally do not need the financial assistance of having university paid for by the gov't. :sigh: 

 

The private/paid universities are not as good/rigorous/well respected as the public ones, either, so it's just a completely messed up system all the way around. 

 

Throw in that Brazil also has a program that pays the families of prison inmates, for the duration of the incarceration......a social welfare type program, separate from the other social welfare type programs that keep the current gov't in office there......well, let's just leave it as the messed up system refers to more than just the skewed educational opportunities, and who has access to them. 

 

Sorry to sidetrack into Brazilian politics in general.....

[veritas]

I'm eager to see how this goes. 

 

It is indeed a novel idea.

[trulycrabby]

Nice, if the prisoners can read, and can read at the level of the books provided. Hopefully, there's some kind of reading instruction as well.

[veritas]

Nice, if the prisoners can read, and can read at the level of the books provided. Hopefully, there's some kind of reading instruction as well.

 

 

Good point