NCJ Number
174087
Date Published
1995
Length
28 pages
Annotation
This study of all 18,068 inmates who were released from the Ohio prison system in fiscal year 1992, conducted to evaluate the impact of correctional education programs on recidivism, found that educational involvement had a positive impact on recidivism.
Abstract
Data were obtained on offender demographics, offense characteristics, and recidivism and on offender educational achievement and participation. Educational involvement, whether actual achievement or meaningful participation, reduced recidivism slightly after a 2-year follow-up period. The most positive impact occurred for females, blacks, young offenders, those incarcerated for drug offenses, and inmates with one prior incarceration. The impact of correctional education programs on recidivism varied by type: General Education Development (GED) programs reduced recidivism the most, followed by college and vocational programs. Adult Basic Education (ABE) programs did not appear to have a positive effect overall. Involvement in GED programming had the most positive impact on males, blacks, young offenders, and inmates with no prior incarcerations. GED achievement was particularly effective for less serious offenders, while GED participation without achievement was more effective for more serious offenders. College programs had the greatest impact on females, young offenders, those incarcerated for first-degree felonies, those incarcerated for drug offenses, those incarcerated for nonviolent offenses, and inmates with no prior incarcerations. Vocational programs had a more positive impact on females, young offenders, offenders from rural counties, drug offenders, those incarcerated for nonviolent offenses, and inmates with no prior incarcerations. ABE programs tended to have a more positive effect on older offenders, female offenders, first- and fourth-degree indeterminate felons, inmates who served the longest, sex offenders, and inmates with one prior incarceration. For those who received a GED certificate or a college degree or certificate, the closer they graduated or received the certificate to their release date, the less likely they were to return to prison. 17 tables