A.04.01 Prisoner Educational Activities / Certification of Study Loans

Policy and Procedures

1. Each prison has a stamp provided by StudyLink and the prison must stamp any application by a prisoner for a student loan. This stamp, when affixed to the documentation for a student loan, attests that:
   1. The prison authorities have sighted the application, and are therefore aware of it; and
   2. The documentation being sent to StudyLink for processing has in fact come from a prison; and
   3. The course of study being enrolled in, does not:
      1. Pose a risk to the security of the prison; or
      2. Pose a risk to the fulfilment of the prisoner's sentence plan
      3. Pose a risk to the general public.
2. When making the decision described in paragraph 1 above, prison management must:
   1. Know what course of study a prisoner is proposing to enrol in; and
   2. Have assessed the risks as defined in 1c above; and
   3. Consider the prisoner's security classification.

Proposed Study Relationship to the Inmate’s Sentence Plan

1. The proposed course of tertiary study does not have to be directly related to an objective of the prisoner’s sentence plan. However undertaking the study must not put the prisoner’s sentence plan at risk.
2. ‘Risk’ means that the proposed course of tertiary study clashes with or risks compromising the objectives of the sentence plan or the Departmental objective of reducing re-offending.
3. All sentence plans, whether specifically stating so or not, are directed towards reducing reoffending.
   No proposed course of study should support or be seen to support future potential offending behaviour.

Risk to Prison Security

1. The approving manager must consider the nature of the proposed course and the content of all the individual subjects that make up the course. This is to ensure that the knowledge gained or materials supplied do not present a real threat to prison security, that is provide the prisoner with the opportunity to instigate an event or action that may breach the security of the prison.

Recording

1. If prison management makes a decision not to support a prisoner’s proposed course of tertiary study, the reasons for this decision must be documented at the time and communicated to the prisoner. A record of the discussion with the prisoner must be put in the prisoner’s file notes.
2. A record of all applications, certified and uncertified, is to be kept. For certified applications all that is required is a photocopy of the page from the application by the prisoner that carries the stamp. In the case of uncertified applications, the document carrying the written rationale for the decision to not certify must be kept. A file containing these records should be kept by the Prison Manager’s administration person.
3. In all cases the prisoner is to be informed as soon as practicable of the decision.
4. Where an application is not certified, prison management must ensure that the prisoner is supported to consider an alternative suitable course of study. Note that Manager Programmes are a resource to support case officers in this activity. A record of the discussion with the prisoners is to be made in the prisoner’s file notes.

Prisoner Students on transfer

1. Where a prisoner is transferring from one prison to another there is to be liaison between sites to provide continuity of study arrangements for the prisoner. Assuming that the prisoner is continuing with the same course which has already been assessed in terms of security and sentence plan risk, the presumption shall be that the original assessment stands and will be supported by the receiving prison; there should be no need for any substantive reassessment.

Changes in Courses

1. As it is possible for persons with an approved student loan to change their course of study and apply the granted loan to a new course of study, prison management should verify from time to time that the course proposed by a prisoner is the course which he / she is currently undertaking.
2. It is also possible for a prisoner to seek to enrol in a course of tertiary study without seeking a student loan from StudyLink. Prison management still need to assess the proposed course of study in light of the criteria specified above under the heading Proposed Study Relationship to the Prisoner's Sentence Plan paragraphs 2 and 3.

Specific Bank Account required

1. An prisoner must provide their own bank account through which any funds connected with the student loan must pass. Prisoner trust accounts are not to be used for this purpose.

Liaison with StudyLink

1. Information on the availability of student loans is provided in the form of pamphlets from StudyLink, visits of StudyLink outreach officers, and StudyLink’s 0800 number is available to prisoners.
2. The Prison Manager or delegated person is responsible for certifying the student loan application meets the specified criteria of this policy.
3. Management Programmes have the role of relationship maintenance with StudyLink. They also have a role in ensuring that information on StudyLink is available to prisoners.
4. All prison staff have a role in supporting prisoners who want to study. The decision as to whether they apply for a loan or not belongs to the individual prisoner and staff should not encourage or discourage however they should make sure that prisoners know about the option when they are considering a course of study.

Liability

1. The stamp does not attest to the correctness of the information supplied by the prisoner to StudyLink. StudyLink bears the risk of fraud, and it is not the responsibility of PS to verify or otherwise vet the information provided by the prisoner for the purpose of obtaining a student loan and / or enrolling in a course of tertiary study.

Prisoners sitting extramural examinations

At all times prisoners should be afforded a quiet room to sit their examination; have a degree of supervision throughout; and have interruptions kept to a minimum.

Unit Managers should delegate a staff member to take responsibility to ensure the preparation and sitting of exams run smoothly, and that all relevant staff are informed of when, where, and by whom the examination is taking place.

On completion of the exam the delegated staff member should ensure the exam papers are sent to the appropriate extramural education organisation by registered post.