Back in October 1999 I published an article in Imprint – a Mensa newsletter – that stated in part that education is one of the key factors in reducing recidivism. (The article is now part of chapter 104 in my book In the Matter of Edwin Potter: Mental Illness and Criminal Justice Reform.) There is currently a report titled “Mapping the Landscape of Higher Education in New York State Prisons” referenced in the March 2019 newsletter from the Prisoner Re-entry Institute (PRI) of John Jay College of Criminal Justice supporting what I wrote. From the newsletter:
“The efficacy of college-in-prison programs in reducing recidivism is well documented; a study by the Rand Corporation showed that those who participated in correctional education programs had a 43% lower rate of recidivating than those who did not. Mapping the Landscape explores other benefits of college-in-prison programs, such as improving incarcerated students’ relationships with their families and increasing safety in facilities for both students and correctional staff.”
The full report includes an executive summary.