Impact of Prison Education on Community Reintegration of Inmates: The Texas Case

• NCJ Number: 196769
• Journal: Journal of Correctional Education Volume: 52 Issue: 3 Dated: September 2002 Pages: 106-110
• Author(s): Tony Fabelo Ph.D.
• Date Published: September 2002
• Length: 5 pages
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Report (Study/Research)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

This article summarizes the results of a series of studies conducted to evaluate the ability of the Texas prison educational system to improve the educational level of inmates, enhance their employment prospects, and lower their recidivisim rates.

Abstract

A series of studies were conducted to determine the impact of correctional education on educational achievement in prison, on recidivism, on employment, and on wages. The studies tracked the prison educational experience and post-prison employment and recidivism of 32,020 inmates released from prison for the first time in 1997 to 1998. Tables are included that show average gains in educational achievement (EA) scores, average hours of education, and percent achieving to next level for inmates tested more than once; average entry and exit EA scores for inmates who achieved the next level; relationship between education level of inmate at release and 2-year recidivism rate; percentage change in 2-year recidivism rate for inmates in selected subgroups; percent of inmates employed 1 year after release and their reported annualized wages by educational level; and percent employed and average wages by achievement group. The studies found that inmates with the highest education were more likely upon release to obtain employment, have higher wages, and lower recidivism. Educational achievement in prison was associated with an 11 percent decrease in the 2-year recidivism rate of inmates released. However, certain inmates benefited more from prison education than others. Non-reader property offenders who became readers experienced a larger decline in their recidivism rate and a better improvement in their employment prospects than inmates who earned a GED. Prison education can help lower some natural barriers to positive community reintegration by strengthening the intellectual, cognitive, and life skills possessed by inmates. However, there are still many purposely set societal barriers to reintegration which pose formidable challenges to successful reintegration of inmates. Tables, references