Digital learning in prison: Reality or rather a distant future?

Digital learning initiatives are gradually entering Belgian prisons. As little is known about how Belgian community-based actors and justice actors experience these digital learning opportunities for prisoners, this study aims to provide insight into (1) respondents’ perceptions of the existing digital opportunities, (2) what they perceive as added values of a digital learning offer and (3) how an ideal digital learning offer should look like. A qualitative survey was completed by 62 actors spread over 34 prisons. The findings suggest that the existing digital learning opportunities in Belgian prisons are experienced as inadequate. Respondents emphasize that greater investments should be made in an online digital learning offer, comprising a variety of formal, non-formal and informal learning opportunities that meet prisoners’ learning needs. Furthermore, added values for prisoners (e.g. digital skills, personal development), prison actors (e.g. reduced inefficient workload) and society (e.g. preparation for reintegration, ecological purposes) were mentioned.