Post Secondary Education for Inmates

Not all prisons provide post secondary education to inmates, such as college courses or vocational training. Different states offer different services, and services offered even differ from prison to prison within a state sometimes. However, there are many benefits noted when inmates do receive post secondary education, including reduced rates of recidivism after release from prison and better behavior while in prison.

Vocational Training

Prisons often offer vocation training programs to inmates; vocational programs are offered more often than college courses. Training programs typically only last a few months and then inmates are prepared for jobs in the "real world" upon release. Vocational training programs may include things like food service, cosmetology, clerical services, construction, heating/ventilation and air conditioning, and auto mechanics.

College Courses

College courses are offered in prisons less frequently than vocational training programs, but they are available in some prisons. Inmates can take a wide variety of college classes including English, Literature, Religion, Algebra and other math courses, Psychology and many others. They may be able to earn a college degree while in prison but if they are released before completing their degree, the college credits they have earned will transfer to any college or university in the "read world."

Improving Inmate Behavior

In April 2007, on the television show "60 Minutes," Head of Corrections for New York State, Brian Fisher, explained that inmates that take college courses behave better and are easier for correctional staff to manage. He said they spend less time fighting and more time studying.

Lowering Rates of Recidivism

One study found that most prison inmates in the state of Ohio had a recidivism rate of about 40 percent. Yet, inmates in the same state that attended some college classes while incarcerated had a recidivism rate of just 18 percent. An article in the "Journal of Correctional Education" published in December 2004 reported such a decrease in recidivism rates to be common for all prisoners throughout the U.S. that attend college courses or receive vocational training while incarcerated.

Paying for It

Since 1994, prison inmates have been unable to qualify for Pell Grants, funds that help people with low incomes pay for college courses. Some colleges and universities offer free courses to prisoners but paying for college education is a real struggle for more prison inmates these days. More prisons have funds to be used to provide vocational training programs but sometimes even paying for vocational courses is a struggle.

Sources:

Journal of Correctional Education. http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qa4111/is_200412/ai_n9466371/ . Educated Prisoners Are Less Likely to Return to Prison.

60 Minutes. http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2007/04/15/60minutes/main2685164.shtml . Maximum Security Education.

Kenneth W. Mentor. http://kenmentor.com/papers/college_prison.htm . College Course in Prison.