Education in prison environments: a theoretical review

Abstract

Education in prison environments, recognized by international instruments and supported by the constitutional statutes of many countries, is still a challenging area for education systems. This is not only due to the multifactorial nature of crime, but also to the lack of theoretical proposals from the field of education, compounded by insufficient economic and human resources, overcrowding, and prison restrictions. This review article aims to describe the main theoretical approaches that support education in prison environments and their relationship with social reintegration programs. The research was based on 31 documents (theses, articles, and essays) in Spanish, published between 2000 and 2024, selected from the Google Scholar, Semantic Scholar, and La Referencia search engines. The findings show that two main approaches prevail: one based on universal human rights and the other socio-educational in nature, aimed at social reintegration through formal (literacy, basic and secondary education) and informal (workshops and courses) programs. However, both approaches face limitations in terms of access and challenges specific to the environment. The importance of implementing critical approaches and strategies that include the acquisition of life skills, essential for effective reintegration, is also highlighted.