Inmates at Belmarsh prison complete University of Roehampton course
- Thursday, February 8, 2018
Dr Stephen Driver led a ceremony acknowleding Belmarsh inmates who completed a criminology module as part of a programme aiming to remove social disadvantage and impart understanding of the justice system.
On 7 February 2018, Dr Stephen Driver, Deputy Provost for Learning and Teaching at Roehampton led a ceremony at HMP Belmarsh to recognise inmates who had completed ‘Understanding Justice’, an accredited higher education module in Criminology.
The module is part of the Learning Together National Network, which aims to challenge social disadvantage as a barrier to learning by pairing universities with prisons. On-campus students work alongside students at the prison to develop their understanding of the justice system, including debating the different ways in which punishment can be justified.
Dr Driver said: ‘I’m very proud that Roehampton has supported this course, which gives our on-campus students a practical insight into the justice system and provides an opportunity for students in Belmarsh to study alongside them.
‘Providing access to higher education for those that would not normally have the opportunity to study is exactly what universities should do.
‘We are really pleased to be working with HM Prison and Probation Service and the Learning Together National Network on this really important scheme.’
The University of Roehampton is one of the leading providers of Criminology in London. Ninety percent of Roehampton Criminology graduates are in work or further study within six months of graduation (DLHE, 2017 results). Roehampton is also in the top 20 universities in the UK for graduate earnings in Criminology (Longitudinal Education Outcomes, 2017 results; earnings one year after graduation).