Title: The Human Factor in the Language(s) of Corrections

Name of presenter: Kerli Linnat

Affiliation and academic title: Estonian Academy of Security Sciences, Junior Lecturer of English

Email address: kerli.linnat@sisekaitse.ee

​

Keywords: LSP, corrections, motivational interviewing, mixed-ability groups

​

Abstract:

In theory, imprisonment seems something that could be easily left for robots or AI – just keep the inmates warehoused away from committing new crimes and open the door to release them on the due date. However, if we consider that imprisonment nowadays primarily means rehabilitation and resocialisation rather than just locking people up, this is where we reach the limitations of AI. The new standard is that the inmate is first and foremost a subject and needs to be treated respectively. We are not supposed to dictate the appropriate behaviour, instead our communication aims at interpreting their state of mind and guiding them to their own decisions about their path.

The Estonian Academy of Security Sciences is launching a new continuing training curriculum for practising senior prison guards who are to take on new tasks, including the principles of dynamic security, motivational interviewing as well as administrative proceedings. In the course of six months, all new skills will be acquired also in two foreign languages (Russian and English). For language teachers, the instruction is added further challenge by strict time constraints (27 hours on consecutive days within three weeks alternating with speciality classes) and mixed-ability and mixed-age groups. The presentation provides an overview of the takeaway from the language courses with a focus on practical LSP and the human aspects that cannot be left out of language instruction just yet.