ABSTRACT
This chapter begins with an overview of how participation in education can help students to effectively cope with their time in prison by offsetting what they see as the negative effects of imprisonment. It explores in greater detail the ways in which educational involvement can affect the students' sense of self. The benefits that the students report for coping with imprisonment are supported by findings from other studies of prisoner education in Britain and elsewhere that emphasise the student perspective. The students frequently refer to education as giving them a sense of purpose whilst they are in prison. Through education the students are able to explore interests that they held prior to prison or new interests they have developed in prison. Participation in education can allow students to gain control over some aspects of their lives in prison, and this is an experience with particular relevance to distance learning.
