Reading Right From Wrong - Investigating the role a Community Rehabilitation Company plays in supporting individuals who experience literacy difficult

阅读正确与错误 - 调查社区康复公司在支持识字困难的个人方面所发挥的作用

• 批准号: 2271312
• 金额: --
• 依托单位: University of Sheffield
• 依托单位国家: 英国
• 项目类别: Studentship
• 财政年份: 2019
• 资助国家: 英国
• 起止时间: 2019 至 无数据
• 项目状态: 未结题
• 来源: https://gtr.ukri.org/projects?ref=studentship-2271312
• 关键词: Reading; Right; Wrong; Investigating; role

Background:The definitions of literacy are many and continually evolve. Inglis and Aers (2008) noted it is a person's ability to read and write whereas the National Literacy Trust considered speaking and listening skills as well as the ability to read and write as essential skills in developing literacy. Whilst Lawson and Gordon (1996) noted there is no 'universal standard of literacy,' the phrase 'functional literacy' attempts to link literacy to purpose and is described as the level of skill in reading and writing that people need to be able to cope with adult life.Literacy plays a vital role in daily living and its absence creates wider inequality, undermines wellbeing and prevents people from making informed choices or offering a full contribution to economic and cultural life. Project Literacy produced the Alphabet of Illiteracy, based on a body of evidence poignantly illustrating 'that illiteracy is the root cause of almost every major problem humanity faces'. They argue that supporting people to read and write will help to reduce the spread of disease, lift people out of poverty and reduce inequality. Literacy is a national priority. Douglas (2017) estimated by 2025 illiteracy will cost UK GDP an estimated £34 billion. According to the National Literacy Trust around 15% (5.1 million people) of adults in England lack basic literacy skills. Research demonstrates a relationship between low literacy and crime. Low literacy is a characteristic evident in the prisoner population. Kozol (1985) noted the causal relationship between literacy and offending: 'While criminal conviction of illiterate men and women cannot be identified exclusively with inability to read and write, the fact that 60 per cent of prison inmates cannot read above the grade level surely provides some indication of one major reason for their criminal activity'. Whilst this was referring to the U.S. situation, a similar picture unfolds in the UK. The Prison Reform Trust (2018) found over half (54%) of people entering prison were assessed as having literacy skills expected of an 11 year old over three times higher than in the general adult population (15%). Hendricks et al (2016) discussed the relationship between reading ability and speed of recidivism following research by the California Department of the Youth Authority. It found 'those with low reading ability were more likely to recidivate within three months, while those with higher reading ability were more likely to recidivate during the fourth through fifteenth months'. This is supported by Harer (1994) noting the inverse relationship between recidivism rates and education which is the more education a person receives the less likely they are to be re-arrested or re-imprisoned.The criminal justice system is based on information presented in a written format. Failure to understand the information presented to them may have implications for offenders, including failure to understand warning letters, pre-sentence reports and specified interventions, ultimately this could result in non-compliance. In the Boyce-Cottrell (2014) study, probation officers noted low literacy levels narrowed 'your options of what you can do with offenders' specifically referring to accredited programmes because of a written element to them. They considered probation interventions to be less successful with people who had low literacy levels. This is an important research area because Morrisroe (2014) noted improving literacy levels 'could be a protective measure against the risk of involvement in crime'.

背景：识字的定义很多，而且在不断演变。Inglis和Aers（2008年）指出，读写能力是一个人的读写能力，而国家扫盲信托基金认为，说和听技能以及读写能力是发展扫盲的基本技能。虽然Lawson和Gordon（1996年）指出没有“普遍的识字标准”，但“功能性识字”一词试图将识字与目的联系起来，并被描述为人们能够科普成年生活所需的阅读和写作技能水平。识字在日常生活中起着至关重要的作用，缺乏识字会造成更广泛的不平等，这会损害福祉，使人们无法做出知情选择或为经济和文化生活做出充分贡献。扫盲项目根据大量证据编写了《文盲字母表》，这些证据深刻地说明“文盲是人类面临的几乎所有重大问题的根源”。他们认为，支持人们阅读和写作将有助于减少疾病的传播，使人们摆脱贫困，减少不平等。扫盲是国家的优先事项。道格拉斯（2017）估计，到2025年，文盲将使英国GDP损失340亿英镑。根据国家扫盲信托基金会的数据，英格兰约有15%（510万人）的成年人缺乏基本的识字技能。研究表明，识字率低与犯罪之间存在联系。识字率低是囚犯人口的一个明显特点。Kozol（1985年）指出了识字与犯罪之间的因果关系：“虽然对文盲男女的刑事定罪不能完全归咎于他们没有读写能力，但60%的监狱囚犯的阅读能力不能超过年级水平，这一事实无疑在某种程度上表明了他们犯罪活动的一个主要原因。虽然这是指美国的情况，但英国也出现了类似的情况。监狱改革信托基金会（2018年）发现，超过一半（54%）的入狱者被评估为具有11岁儿童的识字能力，比一般成年人（15%）高出三倍以上。Hendricks et al（2016）讨论了阅读能力和累犯速度之间的关系，这是加州青年管理局部门的研究结果。研究发现，“那些阅读能力低的人更有可能在三个月内再次犯罪，而那些阅读能力高的人更有可能在第四到第十五个月内再次犯罪”。Harer（1994年）指出，累犯率与受教育程度呈反比关系，受教育程度越高，再次被捕或再次入狱的可能性就越小。不理解向他们提供的信息可能会对罪犯产生影响，包括不理解警告信、判决前报告和具体干预措施，最终可能导致不遵守。在Boyce-Cottrell（2014年）的研究中，缓刑监督官指出，低识字水平缩小了“你可以对罪犯做什么的选择”，特别是指认证的课程，因为它们有书面元素。他们认为缓刑干预措施对识字水平低的人不太成功。这是一个重要的研究领域，因为Morrisroe（2014）指出，提高识字水平“可能是防止参与犯罪风险的保护措施”。