Education: a stay-out-of-jail card

The United States Census Bureau released a report in 2011 that compared characteristics of adults who were incarcerated in 2009 to similar and at-risk adults ó unemployed, underemployed, low income ó who had not been incarcerated. The studies showed a direct and significant correlation between those who stayed in school and out of prison.The report indicated the following: (Those who were studied and had not been incarcerated are referred to as the general population.)

• Increased educational attainment could reduce the likelihood of incarceration by increasing the amount that a person has to lose, if they engage in illegal behavior; and, by shaping a personís decision-making process when faced with committing a crime.
• 56 percent of men in the general population had completed at least some college, compared to 23 percent of male prisoners
• 15 percent of men in the general population did not complete high school, compared to 40 percent of male prisoners
• 58 percent of women in the general population had completed at least some college, compared to
• 31 percent of female prisoners
• 14 percent of women in the general population did not complete high school, compared to 37 percent of female prisoners.
• Prisoners were more likely to have a GED than the general population

According to a report on aypf.org (American Youth Policy Forum), ìNationwide, three-quarters of state prison inmates are dropouts, as are 59 percent of federal inmates. In fact, dropouts are 3.5 times more likely than high school graduates to be incarcerated in their lifetime.îAccording to the United States Department of Justice website, leading U.S. Department of Justice official Michael Brunner states, ìThe link between academic failure and delinquency, violence and crime is welded to reading failure.îAccording to the website, edu-cyberpg.com (Education Cyber Playground), ìEvidence shows that children who do not read by third grade often fail to catch up and are more likely to drop out of school, take drugs, or go to prison.îThe Colorado Department of Corrections released information about its inmates who were incarcerated as of June 30, 2013:

• 77 percent of offenders incarcerated at that time had a GED or high school diploma but no further education
• Less than 1 percent of offenders had not completed high school
• 9 percent of offenders are considered functionally illiterate
• 12 percent are consider illiterate or needing English language training