Prison Education Beyond GED and ESL — Overview
By George Hook
The BOP Central Office Division of Industries, Education, and Vocational Training is ultimately responsible for education and vocational training programs within the Bureau of Prisons, but each Federal prison has its own education department providing educational activities to federal prisoners. The Division manages Adult Continuing Education (ACE) activities, which are formal instructional classes designed to increase prisoners’ general knowledge in a wide variety of subjects, such as writing and math, which is part of the overall budget and does not have its own distinct funding stream. Correctional institutions receive funds for educational programs through the regional BOP offices.
The BOP has published an Occupational Training Programs Directory. The Introduction to the Directory states that the Directory is updated annually. However, the date on the cover of the only Directory available currently is September, 2006. The Directory of that date lists occupational training and apprenticeship programs offered to prisoners in all the federal facilities.
