The United Nations declared Internet access a fundamental human right in 2011, stating that to disconnect people from the Internet is a human rights violation and against international law.
Beyond the human rights aspect, not providing Internet to inmates is cutting them off from society in a way that hinders their reintegration process when they are released.
Providing Internet to inmates could help them communicate, become educated and search for employment in order to keep them out of the prison system – benefitting society and the economy in the process.
The case for Internet in prisons
There are about 2.2 million people in the United States who are disconnected from the Internet due to their incarceration. It is time to examine why we continue to deny this fundamental human right to those still considered humans and still protected under our constitution.
When someone is incarcerated, they are already cut off from society by losing their employment and housing, communication with loved ones, and outside activity. But cutting them off from the Internet also shelters them from society; they have no access to news or media of any kind and cannot stay up-to-date on the developments in the wider world.
With no way to search for jobs, housing or education, inmates are released into a world they do not recognize. It makes perfect sense that two-thirds of them return to prison after being released.
Providing Internet access to inmates for a short period of time each day or week could be the bridge between them and the rest of the world that they so desperately need.
Communication
Studies have shown that not having communication with anyone while in prison can be extremely psychologically damaging. So, at the very least, we need to provide inmates more opportunities to talk to their loved ones while the current options available are difficult and expensive.
Providing inmates Internet access could give them free chances to send emails to their friends and family, as well as Skype or Instant Message. This is an easy way to connect them to their basic support system that we take for granted each day.
In addition to this basic pathway to loved ones, Internet access could provide inmates with a chance to use social media for the purpose of understanding communication in today’s society.
A 1996 Educational Testing Service study found that, using a 12th grade literacy level as the standard, 75 percent of inmates are illiterate. Though educational courses are necessary to combat this issue, it could also be greatly helped by simply giving inmates limited and basic access to social media.
Most millennials have at least a basic grasp of social media and how to communicate using Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn and more. Primarily, this allows us to understand how the society we live in communicates, how language is evolving and where the world is going.
Employment
Like education, studies have shown that getting employment after being released reduces the chance of returning to prison.
However, not only is it extremely difficult to get someone to hire you as an ex-convict, it is also difficult to even search for a job. For those who have been incarcerated for a long time with no computer, they likely do not even know where to begin to search for a job. Then, they must find interview clothes, reliable transportation and communication in order to simply be considered for a position somewhere.
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An extremely simple way to help them would be to provide employment searches while they are incarcerated, effectively kickstarting the job search before they are released.
In the millennial generation, we understand that most employers these days are looking for more than a solid resume. To be competitive, we must have an expert grasp of the society we live in and be up to date in current events and how to use social media tools.
So, we are doing a disservice to inmates by not easing the employment process for them through the simple providing of Internet access.
Trial runs
In the United States, there are currently only four states — Kansas, Louisiana, Hawaii, and Connecticut — that have some prisons with limited Internet access available to inmates.
Each of these states have their own limitations on Internet access. In Kansas, only minimum-security inmates have access, while in Louisiana the Internet is only available to inmates within 45 days of release and for the purpose of job searching.
Other states are currently or have recently conducted studies that offer limited Internet access to some inmates through the use of tablets.
The Sacramento County Main Jail is currently experimenting along these lines, having bought $200 tablets for use by inmates. Officials said they have had “virtually no problems.”
Inmates have used the tablets to take classes toward their high-school diplomas and to take courses in things like parenting skills and domestic abuse counseling. They can also earn points from studying that get them pre-approved movies or music.
Our take
The UN declaring Internet as a fundamental human right is enough of a reason to justify providing Internet in prisons. But, Internet access is also an extremely promising and cost-effective solution to our insane recidivism rates.
By educating inmates, teaching them to communicate and providing them with employment opportunities, we can tackle the issue of recidivism and do more to keep people out of the prison pipeline.
