Education as crime prevention

Spectrum: the Journal of State Government, Wntr 1998 v71 nl p26(2)

Education as crime prevention.

Abstract: A study conducted by the Center on Crime, Communities and Culture revealed that the rates of recidivism are inversely proportional to the level of education attained by the offender. It also pointed out that the cost of educating offenders is marginal as compared to the costs incurred by lengthy or repetitive incarceration. As such, policymakers should formulate and support programs aimed at educating prisoners, especially juvenile delinquents.

Center on Crime, Communities and Culture

A report issued from the Center on Crime, Communities and Culture says education is the, key to keeping offenders from returning to jail ‑ and it is very inexpensive compared to lengthy incarceration. As former U.S. Supreme Court Chief Justice Warren Burger said, "We must accept the reality that to confine offenders behind walls without trying to change them is an expensive folly with short‑term benefits."

According to Education as Crime Prevention: Providing Education to Prisoners, "reported rates of recidivism for adult offenders in the United States are extraordinarily high, ranging from 41 percent to 60 percent." The report notes that "according to the Federal Bureau of Prisons, there is an inverse relationship between recidivism rates and education. The more education received, the less likely an individual is to be re‑arrested or reimprisoned" In some cases noted in the report, the rates of recidivism were dramatically lowered '"Research studies conducted in Indiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, New York and other states have all reported significantly low recidivism rates for inmate participants in correctional higher‑education programs, ranging from 1 percent to 15.5 percent.

The report notes that in New York, it costs $25,000 to incarcerate a prisoner for one year; educating a prisoner for a year costs only $2,500. Educating inmates, while adding only 10 percent to the costs, could save the state millions of dollars in the future by preventing recidivism.

"If we consider the additional benefit of this individual obtaining work, paying taxes, and contributing to the general economy, and the prevention of costs to victims of crime and the criminal justice system, the benefits are significantly greater;" the report says.

The report recommends ensuring quality education for juveniles involved in the criminal justice system. The earlier the intervention, the report notes, the greater positive impact on the innate. The report also urges greater financial support for correctional education programs. "The reinstatement of federal financial assistance in the fort of Pell Grants to inmates is crucial," the study says.

The study also advocates greater emphasis art post‑release supportive services. "Many individuals may find themselves released without access to employment opportunities and/or additional training and education programs." The report concludes by stating, "If we are serious about preventing and reducing crime, it is critical to adopt the most effective, humane and cost‑efficient means of doing so."