On Games and Gamification: Understanding What’s at Stake in Co-Designing with Prisoners

This chapter makes the case for creative education as a form of crime prevention. It discusses how and why introducing creative activity and gamification strategies into prisoners’ lives can promote interest in learning as well as desistance (crime-free living). The chapter also discusses why involving prisoners in designing against crime is unique in that it emphasises restorative potential rather than solely viewing prisoners as always a problem. Gamification techniques are explored along with why empathic relational pedagogy associated with creative education is significant to the teaching and learning of neurodiverse prisoners who comprise more than half of the UK prison population. Ultimately the chapter makes the case that prisoners engaging with art and creativity can reduce crime.