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Friday, September 10, 2010

Eduflack: Teacher Incentives and Australia-Bound Felons

Eduflack: Teacher Incentives and Australia-Bound Felons

Teacher Incentives and Australia-Bound Felons

Can 18th century British boat captains teach us anything about the effectiveness of teacher incentives?

Early this morning, NPR featured an economist talking about English maritime history an economist talking about English maritime history. As many know, at one point Australia served as a prison colony for Great Britain. The British would send their criminals on a lovely sea voyage, eventually dumping their troublemakers on what was seen as the other side of the world.

The trouble was, by the time the trip from England to Australia was completed, nearly one third of the prisoners