Research Paper

Introduction

Each year, a large number of individuals leave the state and federal prison.  Within a year of release, a significant percentage will have violated the terms of their release or been involved in committed new crimes.  Although a range of factors affects the ability of ex-offender to effectively reintegrate into communities and, thus, increase recidivism rates, one primary factor is that many individuals do not have the skills, training, and knowledge necessary for a successful return to their communities. Research shows that, on average, ex-offenders are less educated compared to the general population. 

A large proportion of 37 individuals in state prisons has not attained a high school diploma. Therefore, literacy level for prison population is lower compared to that of the general U.S. population. The low level of educational attainment is a considerable challenge for ex-offenders returning to the society as it hinders their efforts to find employment. A lack of employment skills and a history of employment also have an effect in a number of ways. Attaining skills increases an ex-offender’s employability and earnings in a number of ways. Given that people released to the community face a changing set of job market needs, correctional training is critical.  Due to the gaps in vocational skills and educational attainment and the challenge they place ex-offenders, provide education is a proven strategy that enhances inmates’ skills to support a successful integration into their communities. Correctional education is one of the ways used in rehabilitating and redirecting individuals serving sentences. Studies conducted on the effectiveness of correctional education indicate that the program reduces recidivism. Ultimately, it reduces crime, saves taxpayers money and contributes to the safety and well-being of the communities to which incarcerated individuals return in the long-term.  A shift from rehabilitation to crime control supports full adoption of the policy.  

Key points in time and events that led to policy changes

In the United States, Correctional education began in the eighteenth century when William Rogers Philadelphia’s Walnut Street Jail to educate uneducated prisoners to read. His primary goal was to nurture moral improvement through practical training. Rodgers understood that harsh conditions of prison life required improvement.  In his view, the means of improvement would be through education.  Rogers’s model was adopted by many reformers and deployed it to lessen the ills of incarceration. During the nineteenth century, however, prison educators did not realize the benefits of correctional education. While their intentions were good, the success was low. Rogers’s program focused solely on basic skills such as writing, reading, and moral standards. Hence, the model did not accommodate the post-confinement needs of ex-offenders.  Early prison educators did not have a vision of a better program but had adequate resources to carry out more far-reaching rehabilitation (Blomberg et al., 2011).  

Nonetheless, the framework from the late eighteenth century underlay the ongoing evolution of reformist prison education in the 19th, 20th and 21st century.  Correctional education mainly comes in two types: literacy development and vocational training. Vocational training enables acquisition of knowledge and skills that are directly transferable to a workplace. Literacy development courses are centered around math skills and reading and are loosely based on the traditional classroom model. In the last four decades, the U.S. incarceration rate has significantly increased. Today, the United States has the largest number of incarcerated offenders in the world. The explosion of the prison population is explained by changes in sentencing policies and laws as well as crime rate over the last few decades. The trend has led to overstretched correction facilities as and state’s fiscal burden. Despite this, the rapidly expanding penal system does not demonstrate any significant results as large-scale incarceration has not been very effective in achieving public safety.

 The average duration of time served by individuals in prison and risk of re-offending has increased considerably across all major categories of crime including property, violent, drug, weapon, and public order and immigration offenses.  The trend, as well as high levels of recidivism has shined attention on corrections reform (Hooks et al., 2010).  Now, State and Federal policymakers have considered a range of strategies to reduce mass incarceration. Such strategies include correctional education initiatives. Many policy researchers have proved that correctional education can help improve post-release employment outcomes, reduce recidivism and saving taxpayers money.

By reducing recidivism, correctional education has far-reaching benefits of reducing the entire scale of the offender population. Correctional education is a form of rehabilitation adopted by the criminal justice system today. President Lyndon Johnson believed that correctional education is a simple concept that offers huge benefits. According to him, education is the answer for all the problems of the world (MacKenzie, 2006). The concept of rehabilitation is based on the idea that offender’s behavior is influenced by other factors beyond freely willed, rational choice. Through different measures, the offender’s behavior can be modified.  A large percentage of researchers acknowledged the effectiveness education as a means of rehabilitation. The effectiveness of this method is viewed from the perspective that re-offending can be minimized by equipping offenders with skills and knowledge to become employable. 

A study conducted at the University of California by Department of Policy Studies found that a $1 million spending in incarceration prevent approximately 350 crimes, while that same spending in correctional education prevents over 600 crimes.  This means that prison education is almost twice as effective as incarceration. The form of education also yields multiple public benefits including decreased reliance on governmental support, increased tax revenue, and greater societal productivity. With a large number of offenders released every year, correctional education plays a huge role in their behavior (Harlow, 2003). Evidence-based research on incarceration has shown that some factors of prison educational programs make them work.  Factors include effective program design, implementation, and monitoring and matching programs to offenders’ needs.  The second factor is offering educational programs close to an offender's release date.  The third factor is offering extensive and long programs.  The more the education offered, the better the outcomes. The fourth factor is being integrated into other programs such as cognitive behavioral therapy, drug and alcohol rehabilitation and sex offender treatment.

What were the effects of the policy changes?

Lower the Recidivism Rate

Correctional education is far more effective compared to “shock” incarceration or other methods of rehabilitation. The high rate of correlation between the level of education attained by offenders and recidivism rate has prompted researchers to conduct studies on the effectiveness of correctional education on reducing re-offense.  Many studies conducted over the last twenty years almost collectively indicate that correctional education reduces recidivism. Prison education translates into a decrease in crime, long-term contributions to the safety and well-being of communities and savings to taxpayers.  Previous research on recidivism rate show that approximately 7 out of 10 ex-offenders commit new crimes, and half end up back in correction centers within three years. Since 95 out of every 100 incarcerated individuals eventually rejoin society, it is essential that educational programs are introduced to reduce recidivism (Esperian, 2010).

Increased Employment

This inverse relationship between educational level and the recidivism rate is not surprising. Given that college education has become a valuable asset in the United States. Thus the absence or presence of a degree has broad implications for the employment capabilities available to ex-offenders. Offenders cannot be held in confinement despite the fact that they pose a greater risk of harm to the community. After serving their sentence according to the court orders for a criminal offense, they are released to the community or placed in different facilities for the care, treatment, and control.

In the case of crimes related to drugs, correctional education plays an important role. The link between crimes and drug use is well known. Often, substance abuse is implicated in at many varieties of drug-related offenses. An offense may involve activities related to drug sales or stealing money to finance their lifestyle. Gainful employment can help incarcerated individual learn a skill for successful reentry and readjustment into the community ultimately reducing the probability that the ex-offender will revert back to illegal activity.

Long-Term Cost-Efficiency

The high cost of criminal justice system is exacerbated by a surprisingly high national recidivism rate, which has considerably contributed to an increase in prison population. The trend has led to overcrowding in correction facilities as well as an increase in the state’s fiscal burden. The rapidly expanding penal system has not shown any significant results of large-scale incarceration as a means of achieving public safety.  The average duration of time served by individuals in prison has more than doubled after the implementation of various laws. By reducing recidivism, it is possible to have the far-reaching potential of cutting down the scale of the prison population and, hence prison costs.

Violence Reduction

Prison education programs have demonstrated a noticeable improvement in facilities due to a reduction in cases of violence. Education instills discipline. Researchers note that disciplinary infractions decline among those serving sentences because incarcerated individuals tend to police themselves out of fear of losing their correctional education program. Change in behavior can be attributed to improved cognitive capacity and the ability of incarcerated people to have the chance to feel human again by being involved in such activities as going to classes.

This means that correctional education is a rehabilitative measure that has an influence on behavior. The concept of rehabilitation lies on the assumption that criminal conduct is a caused by a various interrelated factor. The perspective does not deny that individuals make rational decisions to break the law. However, it does recognize that the choices are not an issue of pure "free will." Rather, the decision to offend is held to be considerably influenced by factors such as social surroundings. The argument is that individual differences shape how individuals behave, including their prospect of breaking the law. When individuals are exposed to risk factors such as exposure to delinquent peers, lack of parental love and supervision, an impulsive temperament and the internalization of antisocial values, they are more prone to engage in crime.  Engaging in education is an important strategy for behavioral change (Harer, 1995).

Survey results from various prisons during the 1990s showed that incarcerated individuals enrolled in classes committed fewer infractions compared to those who are not enrolled. Recent studies demonstrate that correctional education programs can reduce racial barriers that often contribute to disciplinary problems in the prison setting (Clear et al., 2012). Prison officials have often recommended establishing college programs due to their multiple benefits and provide an incentive for good behavior. 

Positive Effects on Children

Education level can determine whether children have the self-confidence to pursue occupations that challenge their minds or aspire to be criminals. There is a large number of children affected by parents’ incarceration. Most incarcerated parents expected to be reunited with their children upon release. Providing incarcerated people with education provides them with a better capacity to set a good example to their children. Moreover, many postsecondary correctional education programs provide individuals with the opportunity to break the intergenerational cycle of inequality. Parents inspire their children to take education more seriously, and they too begin to see viable alternatives to engaging in crime. 

Key differences of our correctional institutions of today with those of the past

Important changes have characterized Correctional programming over the past two decades. These changes have been prompted by worries over public safety, rapid growth in prison populations and concerns about cutting the cost of incarceration. Despite less faith in the rehabilitative function, correctional programming has flourished in a way different from the past. An inmate population is composed of many different subpopulations. Each subpopulation has its own unique programming needs. As the size of various sub-populations increase, unique demands for inmate services arise accordingly.  The most outstanding characteristic of today’s system is the increase in Juvenile offenders.  Given that recent growth in prison population, changing characteristics of the inmate clientele has a considerable impact on types of correctional programs provided.

What makes juvenile system interesting is that the youth may not have undergone the necessary stages of education.  Without the provision of education, youth, as well as their families, are harmed by the system ostensibly charged with protecting their well-being. Therefore, the problem faced by youth is a unique one compared with other prison populations. The educational level and reading skills of juveniles who come into the correctional system are low. They have little education, poor writing, poor reading, poor math, and poor oral communication skills. Poor communication or reading skills pose a challenge to make informed consent, which is often conducted through written documents.  It is important to ensure that informed consent procedures are monitored to determine that offenders accurately understand what they are consenting to (Gorgol & Sponsler, 2011). Additionally, less educated inmates are less likely to have jobs before they entered correction facilities and more likely to have been sentenced before and to return to the facility after release.

Youthful offenders present a difficult and distinct set of challenges for correctional programming. Aspects of social physical and emotional development differ significantly for juveniles as compared to adults.  Addressing the needs of this group can be a difficult task for correctional staff, particularly when different populations are at the same institution. Particularly, youthful offenders often lack good judgment and maturity. They also may have challenges in anger and with impulse control. The provision of education and job training is extremely important for youthful offenders since they are likely to have critical needs in these areas.

 Some youthful offenders may still be of school age.  Therefore, they may still be lawfully entitled to educational programs. Others may be in the early stages of a work career. Efforts must be taken to ensure that their educational progress is not interrupted by incarceration.

How the role and function of correctional institutions have changed

The roles of correctional institutions have changed. Previously, correctional facilities the sole expectation for correctional institutions was custody-oriented. Training was not typically provided as a correction measure and often involved being told to learn as quickly as possible. The custody-oriented role involved maintaining control and security through enforcement of institutional rules. There was an unchallenged power to punish inmates with less regard for inmate rights or due process. The control method for inmates largely involved physical coercion and discipline. However, a broad range of correctional rehabilitation programs were introduced. Correctional centers were no longer viewed custody and control as the sole organizational goal. Rehabilitation created an ambiguous social organization that operated on a set of contradictory goals (Duwe & Clark, 2014).

With time, there have been changes in goals of incarceration.  Every sentence differs as the purpose of each sentence differs. The goal of sentencing is no longer punishment but retribution, incapacitation, deterrence, rehabilitation and restoration. Incarceration is designed to achieve different goals including prevention of further criminal acts, societal retribution, and deterrence of further crimes, victim restoration and rehabilitation of the offender. Correctional education is now part of correctional facilities rehabilitation model which is based on the idea that criminal behavior is influenced by other factors beyond freely willed, rational choice. Through education, offenders can be reformed and their bad behavior modified.  The criminal justice system is based on this principle. Logically re-offending can be reduced by correctional education that can alter these factors.

Currently, educational or vocational programs are provided at most correctional institutions.  Educational programs consist of Secondary Education, Adult Basic Education, Vocational, College, and University level programs. Incarcerated generally, pay for their own post-secondary training unless the education addresses a particular criminogenic need.  Correctional education system policies form the best response strategy to behavior. These practices are more likely to help offenders learn from their mistakes and make more socially productive decisions. Today’s viable response to crime is predicated on the clear understanding of past and present response to the problem affects the lives of individuals who have undergone incarceration.

Current problems faced by our correction institutions

One of the most critical problems facing correction institution is the reduction of spending on prison education programs despite the increase in prison populations since the 1980s. In the current fiscal situation that characterizes many states, further reduction in the correctional education programs budget are expected.  Many states, such as Illinois, Florida, Iowa, Kentucky, and California, are further slashing correctional education budgets because of the current budget crisis.  The states and others, such as Michigan, Ohio, and Kansas are closing prisons to make cuts in their spending. Another problem facing correction institutions is the increase in inmate population. The United States has a large number of incarcerated people who require education needs. The increase is linked to changes in sentencing policies and laws. As a result, the cost of running correctional facilities has soared, posing as a challenge.

The solution to the financing and the budgetary problem lies in the increase of allocation.  States have a responsibility to protect public safety through such measures as controlling crime. It is challenging to work effectively with limited resources.  Correctional education programs are also answers to rising cost of incarceration due to repeat offenders.  The solution to the overcrowding problem lies in policy change to reduce the number of an individual that go through correctional facilities. This is likely to reduce the burden of offering education to a large number of individuals in different subgroups. 

Conclusion

State and Federal policymakers have considered a range of strategies to reduce mass incarceration. Such strategies include correctional education initiatives. There is a high rate of correlation between level of education attained by offenders and recidivism rate. Researchers have found that correctional education is a critical component of rehabilitative programming offered in correction facilities. Most correctional facilities are over-represented with people with below low levels of educational attainment. Education is a chance for the incarcerated to prepare for life upon release. There are a number of effects in policy changes.  The low level of educational attainment is a considerable challenge for ex-offenders returning to the society as it hinders their efforts to find employment. A lack of employment skills and a history of employment also have an effect in a number of ways. Attaining skills increases an ex-offender’s employability and earnings in a number of ways. Given that people released to the community face a changing set of job market needs, correctional training is critical.  By reducing recidivism, correctional education has far-reaching benefits of reducing the entire scale of the offender population. Many policy researchers have proved that correctional education can help improve post-release employment outcomes, reduce recidivism and saving taxpayers money.

References

Harlow, C. W. (2003). Education and Correctional Populations. Bureau of Justice Statistics Special Report.

MacKenzie, D. L. (2006). What works in corrections: reducing the criminal activities of offenders and deliquents. Cambridge University Press.

Clear, T., Reisig, M., & Cole, G. (2012). American corrections. Nelson Education.

Gorgol, L. E., & Sponsler, B. A. (2011). Unlocking Potential: Results of a National Survey of Postsecondary Education in State Prisons. Issue Brief. Institute for Higher Education Policy.

Sherry Roberts is the author of this paper. A senior editor at MeldaResearch.Com in best custom research papers if you need a similar paper you can place your order from nursing paper writing service.