In previous Beyond the Classroom posts, we’ve presented data from the International Labor Organization indicating that 61% of the global workforce is classified as “vulnerable.” In this article, we focus on one of the categories in the vulnerable population: those who were previously incarcerated. Specifically, we look at the United States, and the role higher education and continuing education play in the reintegration of incarcerated learners into society.
As of 2024, approximately 1.9 million people – about twice the population of South Dakota – are incarcerated in the United States. This number includes individuals in 1,566 state prisons, 98 federal prisons, 3,116 local jails, and 1,323 juvenile correctional facilities according to a 2023 report by the Prison Policy Initiative. The image below shows a graphic representation of the categories of incarcerations by type of correctional facility.
Recent academic literature indicates that prison education, particularly when it includes higher education opportunities, vocational training, and programs addressing stigma and identity, plays a crucial role in reducing recidivism rates. These educational initiatives equip inmates with the skills and support needed for successful reintegration, thereby decreasing the likelihood of reoffending.
The 2024 article "Why Race Matters for Higher Education in Prison" highlights that providing higher education opportunities to incarcerated individuals can help address racial inequities and reduce recidivism rates. The Alliance for Higher Education in Prison emphasizes the importance of supporting faculty and staff in understanding how various identity markers impact teaching in prison, which can lead to more effective educational programs and lower recidivism rates upon release. (Taylor et al., 2021) Recidivism is a measurement of repeat offenses by individuals that lead to rearrest, reconviction, or reincarceration, but it is not the only metric available.
In Conway’s article from 2023, Beyond Recidivism: Exploring Formerly Incarcerated Student Perspectives on the Value of Higher Education in Prison, there are some important points made about the importance of college-level education in prison. Recidivism, according to Conway, is a tangential benefit of prison education but that metric alone cannot justify the costs associated with the program {Conway, Patrick Filipe, 2023}. Using a simple calculation to declare victory because repeat offenses decline for those receiving education while incarcerated when enabling education balances the inequality of educational access and disproportional availability of opportunities to be educated outside the prison walls. Conway also suggests receiving an education helps with skill development, self-reflection, and inquiry which could improve dynamics inside the penitentiary.
Two researchers from Middle Tennessee State University discuss an altogether different lens to view prison education: dollars and sense (Pun Intended). Stickle and Schuster conducted a meta-analysis from 79 papers that generated 152 estimates of the economic impact generated by these four forms of prison education: adult basic education, secondary, vocational, and college. Their study gives us two solid conclusions and highlighted one impediment to studies on value of prison education.
1. Education Returns by Type: The returns on education investments vary across different types. Vocational education yields the highest return per dollar spent ($3.05), while college education has the highest positive impact per participating student ($16,908).
The three takeaways from this article represent why higher education presents contributions to the public good. First, higher education has an opportunity to play an important role in rehabilitation of those who are incarcerated and their reintegration into society with a measured intent to lower repeat offenses. Second, prison education can balance some inequities in the areas of access and opportunity to higher education. Lastly, while recidivism is just one measure of a successful prison education program, there are financial benefits that manifest themselves in the form of higher earning potential when re-integrating into society and reducing future incarceration costs by reducing recidivism. Prison education programs represent an opportunity for the restoration of a person’s future. A future with alternatives to a life of poverty, crime, and potential reincarceration.
References
Conway, P. F. (2023). Beyond Recidivism: Exploring Formerly Incarcerated Student Perspectives on the Value of Higher Education in Prison [Journal Articles; Reports - Research]. Review of Higher Education, 46(4), 453-483. https://doi.org/10.1353/rhe.2023.a900569
Stickle, B., & Schuster, S. S. (2023). Are Schools in Prison Worth It? The Effects and Economic Returns of Prison Education [Article]. American Journal of Criminal Justice, 48(6), 1263-1294. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12103-023-09747-3
Orner, R. (2023). Prison education. In Salem Press Encyclopedia: Salem Press.
Prison Policy Initiative. (2023). Mass Incarceration: The Whole Pie 2023. Retrieved June 13, 2024 from https://www.prisonpolicy.org/reports/pie2023.html
Taylor, S., Holder, J., Muhammad, B., Jones, T., & Haynes, L. (2021). Why Race Matters for Higher Education in Prison [Journal Articles; Reports - Evaluative]. Peabody Journal of Education, 96(5), 588-597. https://doi.org/10.1080/0161956X.2021.1991704