Rehabilitation and Reformation of Prisoners through Vocational Training Courses: A Case Study of Shahrekord Prison

Abstract

The present study was conducted with the aim of examining the effect of vocational training courses on the rehabilitation and reformation of prisoners in Shahrekord Prison. In terms of purpose, this research is applied, and in terms of methodology, it falls within the category of quasi-experimental studies with a pre-test–post-test design accompanied by a control group. The statistical population consisted of all male prisoners of Shahrekord Prison in the theft and narcotics wards in 2024, from among whom 50 individuals were selected through purposive sampling and randomly assigned into two groups: experimental (25 individuals) and control (25 individuals). Data collection tools included the Technical and Vocational Test, the Questionnaire on Principles of Business Start-up, the Questionnaire on the Importance of Earning Lawful Income, and the Questionnaire on Attitudes Toward Recidivism. The validity of the instruments was confirmed through content validity, and their reliability was established using Cronbach’s alpha coefficient (ranging between 0.77 and 0.84). The educational intervention consisted of 48 sessions of technical–vocational and business skills training. Data were analyzed using multivariate analysis of covariance. Findings indicated that vocational training had a significant effect on the rehabilitation and reformation of prisoners; specifically, it fostered a positive attitude toward earning lawful income, reduced the tendency toward recidivism, enhanced occupational knowledge, increased professional skills, and improved awareness of the principles of business start-up (p < 0.01). Based on these results, it can be concluded that vocational training courses can serve as an effective tool in prisoners’ correctional and rehabilitative policies.