NCJ Number
229608
Journal
Journal of Correctional Education Volume: 60 Issue: 4 Dated: December 2009 Pages: 316-342
Date Published
December 2009
Length
27 pages
Annotation
This study examined the impact of college participation on the reduction of criminal activity.
Abstract
Can college participation have any meaningful effects for former prisoners, beyond quantifiable measures of recidivism and income? Although stigma, overt discrimination, and a shrinking low-skilled labor market form notable challenges to reentry, some studies suggest that college experience helps former prisoners successfully avoid recidivism. Nevertheless, scholars continue to debate how college may work as a mechanism for reducing criminal activity. Proposing that college increases former prisoners' access to mainstream opportunities and holds particular implication in the labor market, this paper revises Lofland's normal-smith theory to identify a new kind of institution coined: the 'opportunity-smith'. Thematic content analysis of data gathered through interviews with seventeen formerly incarcerated college students suggests that the credentials and skills acquired through college participation help formerly incarcerated individuals successfully face the challenges of reentry. Tables, figure, and references (Published Abstract)