NCJ Number
223928
Journal
Corrections Compendium Volume: 33 Issue: 3 Dated: May/June 2008 Pages: 9-25
Date Published
May 2008
Length
17 pages
Annotation
Information and data on inmate education programs for fiscal year 2007 are reported for 44 U.S. correctional systems and 4 correctional systems in Canada.
Abstract
Of the approximately 1.06 million inmates incarcerated in the 44 U.S. systems, an estimated 283,000 were participating in educational programs on June 30, 2007. All but six systems had waiting lists for the programs they offered. A variety of incentives were offered by the systems to encourage class attendance, including meritorious 90-day good time for each program completed, payment plus 60 days of good time for earning a GED, and possible transfer to facilities closer to inmates’ homes for completing classes. The systems that reported financial information indicated an expenditure of $493.6 million, a 6-percent decrease from the previous year. Some courses received less funding or were cut entirely. Implementing GED programs has been a priority in many departments. One set of tables provides data and information on inmate participation for each reporting system (average daily population, number of eligible inmates, number of inmates actually participating, number of participating inmates successfully completing courses, incentives offered, and waiting list for participation). A second table provides information and data on the program component of inmate education programs for each reporting State (classes offered, any classes offered in a second language, available transport to outside classes, whether obtaining a GED was mandatory on June 30, 2007, and whether the status for GED changed since June 30, 2007). Two other tables provide data on staffing patterns for each type of education program and financial data.