Entre os muros e o conhecimento

This study investigates the relevance of Youth and Adult Education (YAE) in contexts of deprivation of liberty, based on the perspective of popular education. Using a qualitative-quantitative approach, statistical data from the Brazilian prison system are analyzed to examine the role of YAE in educating individuals deprived of liberty. Although it promises to explore the relationship between prison EJA and popular education, the study reveals gaps in implementing of this connection. Constructive criticisms are discussed about the need for greater articulation between educational practices, flexible curricula, and interdisciplinary work to strengthen the impact of YAE in these communities. It is concluded that education in prisons is not limited to literacy, but also offers opportunities for the reconstruction of citizenship and social reintegration, standing out as a fundamental instrument to break cycles of exclusion and crime, thus advancing towards a society fairer and more inclusive.