The American Correctional Association has requested course materials targeted to prison personnel to assist in the management of large and growing numbers of older adult inmates. Creative Action, Inc. proposes to develop the Prison Information Resource Library (PIRL), an innovative system designed to deliver state-of-the-art education to staff of correctional institutions through Distance Learning. PIRL will include a series of modules, the first of which will be developed in Phase I. Module One will look at the aging process in general and the needs and care requirements of older inmates in particular. This module will focus on a general overview of gerontology and geriatrics. A computer-based infrastructure will be developed to allow potential learners/customers to access the module as an internet-based course. Additional modules will be de eloped in Phase II. The ability of correctional facility staff to obtain Continuing Education Units (CEUs) for completing PIRL modules will enhance the marketability for Phase III: commercialization.
In the United States there are currently 1,600 state and federal correctional facilities, plus 1540 private facilities. In these facilities there are approximately 120,000 staff members, including wardens, assistant wardens, superintendents, and guards. A one-day training session for CEU credit would cost a facility approximately $3,000. To train all of the staff in the facility would require at least three days of training at a cost of approximately $9,000. At a price of $5,000 for a site license, PIRL will provide the facility with state-of-the-art training available 24 hours per day, 7 days per week. Assuming a conservative 30% market penetration, we would sell a site license to 526 facilities generating $2,631,000 in revenue. Additional fees may be generated over time with the development and offering of modules on topics related to other groups of prisoners.
