Prisons as a Microcosm of Society: ShoPro Launches Instagram Account to Prevent Childhood Behavioral Problems Using Insights from Correctional Education

■ Leveraging Insights from Public-Private Partnership Correctional Facilities

Shogakukan-Shueisha Productions Co., Ltd. (ShoPro, Headquarters: Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo) has been involved in the operation of public-private partnership correctional facilities as a private enterprise since 2007. The company handles education, vocational training, classification, and medical services at five prisons and rehabilitation centers across Japan.

In its correctional education business, ShoPro focuses on reintegrating offenders into society by addressing individual backgrounds and problems, working toward recidivism prevention and building a foundation for social independence.

Through this work, our staff has consistently observed that delinquent or criminal behaviors often stem from accumulated 'living difficulties' and a lack of understanding from others since childhood. We believe many of these 'stumbles' could have been prevented if individuals had encountered appropriate support or learning options at an earlier stage.

This led to the question: Can we apply these insights not just after a crime has been committed, but at an earlier, preventive stage? Based on this idea, we launched the Instagram account 'Futatsume no Chizu' to share experiences and perspectives from the correctional field with children and parents.

■ Account Overview

Account Name: Futatsume no Chizu (Second Map)
URL: https://www.instagram.com/kyosei66/?hl=ja

On the 'Futatsume no Chizu' Instagram account, we use short-story manga featuring animal characters to convey:
- The feelings of children facing living difficulties
- The dilemmas of parents unsure of how to talk to their children
- Tips for interacting without judgment or blame
These messages are delivered in simple, accessible language.

■ Bringing Correctional Perspectives to General Education

The goal of this account is not to provide a 'single correct answer' for struggling children or worried parents, but to offer multiple options for thinking and interacting based on specific situations and characteristics.

Correctional education in criminal facilities aims for 'reconnecting with society.' This philosophy shares many commonalities with everyday education and parenting at home or in school.

It involves looking beyond 'behavior' to focus on the underlying background; thinking together rather than unilaterally providing answers; and viewing children not as 'problem children' but as 'children facing difficulties.' We aim to share these core values of correctional education as educational perspectives that can be embraced by society as a whole. 'Futatsume no Chizu' is the platform for this information sharing.

Rather than telling users 'what they must do,' we will provide information that helps children and parents expand their options for thinking and interacting according to their situations. 'Futatsume no Chizu' is an account that delivers hints for finding the next possible action or perspective when one feels lost or anxious.