NCJ Number
219175
Journal
Corrections Compendium Volume: 32 Issue: 2 Dated: March/April 2007 Pages: 1-4,37
Date Published
March 2007
Length
5 pages
Annotation
This study examined the attitudes, experiences, and aspirations regarding education for a sample of men who had failed to achieve a crime-free life after their release from prison.
Abstract
Most men reported that they would benefit significantly from more education and be more likely to secure the job they want most. When asked why they were not pursuing a postincarceration education, the most common response was the lack of money. Two common reasons the men did not qualify for government financial aid for education were having certain drug-related convictions or having current student loans in default. These issues can be resolved, however, with some guidance through the bureaucracy. The gap between the men's educational aspirations and their pursuit of educational opportunities suggest their unawareness of postsecondary education opportunities available after release from prison. Approximately 90 percent of the men wanted to attend a technical school or college, but just over half did not know how to proceed. Knowledge of GED opportunities was greater among the men, which suggests that similar information channels should be used to inform them about postsecondary education opportunities. A result of this study is the ongoing creation of the Educational Opportunity and Resource Center, which will address many of the needs identified in this study. Information about educational opportunities will be distributed by the center throughout the prison system and to probation and parole officers. Upon release from prison, individuals could contact the center with questions about educational opportunities. The study involved 98 men confined during February 2006 at the Fulton Reception and Diagnostic Center in central Missouri. To be eligible for the study, the men must have had at least one unsuccessful attempt at reentry and the ability to understand and complete the survey. 2 tables and 17 references