NCJ Number
233269
Date Published
2006
Length
34 pages
Annotation
This report presents a broad perspective on the U.S. prison population and offers judgments about the status of prison education programs.
Abstract
It examines the size and characteristics of the Nation's prison population. The size of the U.S. prison population continues to expand, even as the crime rate shrinks. Most inmates are poorly educated, and as the prison population grows, the investment in education and training for inmates is not keeping pace. This declining investment in inmate education does not reflect the increasing body of research that shows education and training programs to be critical in elevating the employment prospects of released prisoners and also in reducing recidivism. The report also notes that there are minimal State data on prisoner education in terms of enrollments, completions, degrees received, test scores, etc. Another conclusion of this report is that the incarceration of young Black males, particularly high school dropouts, has reached levels that jeopardize the achievement of broader social justice goals. The ultimate conclusion of this report is that the United States has not increased its investments in correctional education while expanding the prison population under a policy of "getting tough on crime." The Nation's leaders and policymakers must recognize that providing prisoners with the education and job skills they need to change the direction of their lives can prevent recidivism and save scarce resources over the long term. 14 figures and 5 tables