OPINION: The U.S. needs to invest more in prison education. Here’s why.
There are clear disparities in the educational attainment of prisoner populations versus general U.S. adult populations.
While every individual who finds themselves incarcerated has a unique background and story, sources have indicated that roughly two-fifths of people do not have a high school diploma or GED when entering the prison population, which is three times higher than other United States adults. The disparity at which incarcerated people have received a college education when compared to the general population is even more, with prisoners being four times less likely to obtain an Associate’s degree than the average U.S. population. With this in mind, let’s dive into the benefits of educating incarcerated individuals, and how doing so benefits not only those who are system-impacted, but society as a whole.
Education reduces rates of recidivism for many people who find themselves incarcerated. In the criminal justice system, recidivism rates are important to track, as they inform how offenders have been rehabilitated after exiting their incarceration period. Recidivism rates are the study and tracking of the tendency of those who have been released from prison to re-offend and return to custody. It is important to note that the United States has one of the highest recidivism rates globally, with an estimate of almost 44% of prisoners released returning within 12 months of their departure.
Some of the reasons for this are speculated to include difficulties in obtaining reliable employment opportunities once released, therefore leading to inadequate access to housing, health care, mental health care, and personal passions. Poor finances also encourage released individuals to consider moving to more affordable areas with higher crime rates, which may make it easier or more tempting for them to re-offend.
Through seeking higher education, however, many incarcerated individuals are reducing their likelihood of recidivism. Studies by Emory University and other major research institutions have shown that formerly incarcerated individuals who complete educational programs have their recidivism rates reduced “inversely proportional to a released prisoner’s level of education.” For example, completing vocational training programs was shown to reduce rates of recidivism down to 30%, whereas those who have only completed some high school courses have an average recidivism rate of almost 55%.
Increasing available employment opportunities also reduces recidivism rates and provides societal benefits. What’s one of the best ways to receive more job prospects and opportunities? Through receiving formal training, college degrees, and other educational credentials or certifications, formerly incarcerated individuals set themselves up for a greater chance at success once they return to the outside world.
With programs in California on the rise to help incarcerated individuals receive education behind bars, outcomes have shown that those who participate in educational programs have their rate of employment increased by up to 10% following their departure from prison when compared to their peers. As we know, receiving high-quality work and obtaining financial stability following the release from a prison sentence is one of the greatest factors that promotes a positive outcome once rejoining society.
Research from the Vera Institute indicates that public safety and the costs of incarcerating people are a huge factor in the overall societal benefits of keeping people out of prison; in this report, it is established that for every dollar invested in higher education for prison populations, there is at least a four to five dollar public return on that investment.
Investing in education benefits more than just prisoners. Other factors to consider when determining whether or not prison education projects are worthy investments are helping foster the personal growth of incarcerated people, creating positive rapport and community ties to local educational institutions, reducing intergenerational crime through offering a path to better job prospects, and the potential to decrease crime rates and increase public safety.
Offering ample prison education opportunities not only produces a cost-saving benefit for taxpayers but allows system-impacted individuals to seek rehabilitation following the
termination of their sentence. Reducing recidivism and decreasing our prison population in the United States ought to be a priority, given that we as a nation represent 5% of the world population, yet house 25% of the global prison population.
It’s time to change that.
