Nearly 75 percent of individuals incarcerated in state prisons do not have a high school diploma. Only about 15 percent of incarcerated adults have a postsecondary degree, compared to about 45 percent of the general public. Most prisons offer some form of GED certificate or adult basic education courses, but that is simply not sufficient to ensure employability in today’s job market. In addition to broadening a student’s knowledge base, a robust education curriculum can make a person more employable and less likely to reoffend
Over the last four decades, the United States has seen a 500 percent increase in its incarcerated population, with the number of men and women in our nation’s jails and prisons now topping 2 million, the most of any nation in the world. Yet despite spending over $180 billion a year on incarceration costs, research has demonstrated that this aggressive rise in imprisonment is not necessarily an effective crime deterrent.
Our current criminal justice system too often favors punitive actions over reformative ones; we are swift to dole out punishment while reluctant to examine and remediate the circumstances, like a person’s economic and/or social conditions, that contribute to crimes being committed in the first place. Rather than continuing to spend hundreds of billions on mass incarceration, federal and state governments should refocus their efforts and their budgets on reducing recidivism by expanding educational opportunities for incarcerated individuals.
Individuals who attain an education while incarcerated re-enter their communities far better prepared to support themselves with prospective employment than those that do not. Yet too many of the formerly incarcerated find themselves released back into society no better than when they went inside – with no education, no support network, no job prospects, and sometimes without even knowing where they will sleep during their first night on the outside. These are people who have paid their societal debt and deserve the chance to chart a course towards a better life
While there has been notable progress at the federal level to increase funding and investments in education for incarcerated individuals, including the reinstatement of Pell Grant eligibility for incarcerated students, many barriers remain in place in various states. Thousands of laws exist across the country that restrict or outright ban the formerly incarcerated from continuing their education, receiving certifications, or obtaining employment in certain fields. In addition to reforming these outdated and discriminatory laws, further investment and expansion of public-private partnerships that provide incarcerated individuals with knowledge and marketable skills can help support successful reentry.
Several such partnership programs are already in place across the country and are showing tremendous promise. Georgetown University’s Pivot Program offers educational and internship opportunities to formerly incarcerated individuals in the Washington, D.C. region. The program also partners with the Second Chance Business Coalition and local employers to place their graduates either in internship roles or full-time jobs as second chance hires.
The ongoing pandemic and nationwide teacher shortage have made it difficult for corrections facilities to staff in-person teaching positions, even if a facility has the budget for it. Investment in edtech can help overcome these potential constraints. Edtech can provide incarcerated students with access to all manner of educational content. It also makes for safer prison environments, providing positive outlets for the incarcerated to channel time and energy, ultimately reducing disturbances and instances of violence. Additionally, improving technological literacy will help better prepare students for the demands of an increasingly digital workforce.
Recidivism is all too common for individuals who exit prison life with no better options than they had before they went inside. It is not, however, a foregone conclusion. Multiple studies have shown that receiving any form of education while incarcerated is associated with a 43 percent reduction in recidivism. Furthermore, incarcerated individuals who participate in vocational training programs are 28 percent more likely to find employment post-release.
Increasing educational opportunities for the incarcerated is not merely compassionate; it is also a sensible investment for communities. There is data to suggest that every dollar invested in an incarcerated person’s education saves up to $5 in recidivism and reincarceration costs. That’s a five hundred percent return on investment.
Over 95 percent of currently incarcerated individuals will eventually earn their release and re-enter their communities. If we want to have a society that believes in second chances, and if we want safer communities, then we must invest more in education for the incarcerated.
