Education In Prison Essay
Is providing college education to state and federal prisoners a basic human right or another burden on law-abiding tax payers? Some feel that prisoners should not be afforded the opportunity to gain any extras while serving time for unlawful acts they committed. The question then remains, is prison for punishment only, or is the main goal to rehabilitate the prisoner to be a productive member of society upon their release?
Most individuals that enter prison are undereducated. Studies show over half of the individuals in prison have a reading level of a fourth grader. Many have not finished high school or have even earned a G.E.D. Lacking a high school education, these individuals are employed in a position that fails to make enough money to sustain a household, provide for themselves or their families. Some do not have a job at all. This often leads to a life of crime and ultimately …show more content…
There are two different ways this can happen. First if an inmate does have the opportunity to obtain an education in prison, this could lead to personal changes such as building confidence and self-esteem, and to pursue a crime free life. Second a college education would provide a prisoner with valuable knowledge to obtain a secure job in their chosen field. This in turn, would give them a steady income, financial stability, and be contributing members of their communities. According to the Rand Study “Inmates who participate in correctional education programs had a 43 percent lower odds of recidivating than those who did not. This translates to a reduction in the risk of recidivating of 13 percentage points.” In many cases it would also serve as a deterrent to revert back to criminal behavior, breaking the cycle for future incarceration. If the inmates are not educated and taught a new way of life or a change in their mindset, the cycle of incarceration will
Most individuals that enter prison are undereducated. Studies show over half of the individuals in prison have a reading level of a fourth grader. Many have not finished high school or have even earned a G.E.D. Lacking a high school education, these individuals are employed in a position that fails to make enough money to sustain a household, provide for themselves or their families. Some do not have a job at all. This often leads to a life of crime and ultimately …show more content…
There are two different ways this can happen. First if an inmate does have the opportunity to obtain an education in prison, this could lead to personal changes such as building confidence and self-esteem, and to pursue a crime free life. Second a college education would provide a prisoner with valuable knowledge to obtain a secure job in their chosen field. This in turn, would give them a steady income, financial stability, and be contributing members of their communities. According to the Rand Study “Inmates who participate in correctional education programs had a 43 percent lower odds of recidivating than those who did not. This translates to a reduction in the risk of recidivating of 13 percentage points.” In many cases it would also serve as a deterrent to revert back to criminal behavior, breaking the cycle for future incarceration. If the inmates are not educated and taught a new way of life or a change in their mindset, the cycle of incarceration will