Disparity and Fragmentation of Formal and Non-Formal Education in Men's Prisons in the Metropolitan Region, Chile

Objective: The goal of this study is to map the education provided in contexts of confinements in the Metropolitan Region of Chile. This article focuses on the manners in which formal and non-formal education is developed in male penitentiaries, those with the largest prison population. Theoretical Framework: The concepts of legal prison and real prison, as well as theories on the purposes of prison education, serve as a basis for the study, giving rise to various ways of implementing education. Method: The methodology is qualitative and the sample includes the total of the prisons in the Metropolitan Region. The sequential design includes a survey in prisons, semi-structured interviews and discussion groups from 68 institutions that provide education in prisons. Results and Discussion: A great disparity and fragmentation of formal and non-formal education in prisons, lack of articulation, low coverage and solitary work are revealed. No planning of the offer or the interests of those deprived of liberty was found. The real prison does not materialize the current public policies in terms of education, maintaining practices from the 19th century. Implications of the research: The results demonstrate the need to articulate public policies in an inter-ministerial plan that incorporates qualitative dimensions, beyond the fulfillment of goals and decisions of each prison. Originality/Value: This research is relevant because there are few studies of the actual functioning of formal and non-formal education in prisons.