Exploring the Influence of Correctional Education on Prisoners’ Attitudes toward Crime and Career Aspirations: A Phenomenological Study of Nsawam Medium Security Prison in Ghana

This study explores the influence of correctional education on inmates’ attitudes toward crime and career aspirations at Nsawam Medium Security Prison in Ghana. Grounded in Transformative Learning Theory, the research examined how educational experiences within a correctional context affect inmates’ cognitive, behavioural, and vocational orientations. A qualitative phenomenological case study design was employed to capture the lived experiences of incarcerated learners. Using purposive sampling technique, fifteen participants—including current and former students of senior high school and ICT programs—were selected from the Reformers Educational Centre within the prison. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews and focus group discussions, then analyzed thematically using MaxQDA software. Findings revealed that correctional education significantly contributed to positive behavioural change and redefined career aspirations. Inmates reported a shift away from criminal behaviour, increased motivation for law-abiding living, and aspirations toward continued education, entrepreneurship, and civic responsibility. Educational engagement was perceived as both rehabilitative and transformative, fostering self-reflection, psychological empowerment, and identity reconstruction. However, challenges such as institutional stigma and limited access to formal learning structures persisted. The study underscores the potential of correctional education as a catalyst for desistance from crime and as a tool for rehabilitation and reintegration. It recommends the institutionalization of prison education, integration of psychosocial support, and multi-stakeholder partnerships to enhance program delivery and post-release outcomes. These findings contribute to global discourses on prison reform by reinforcing the role of correctional education in promoting sustainable behavioural change and social reintegration among incarcerated population.