Education Reduces Crime: Three-State Recidivism Study

Source:

United States. Correctional Education Association. Office of CorrectionalEducation. Education Reduces Crime: Three-State Recidivism Study. By Stephen J. Steurer and Linda G. Smith. ERIC,Feb. 2003. Web. Mar.-Apr. 2015.

Summary:

This is an executive editorial on a study conducted by Dr. Stephen J. Steurer, Dr. Linda Smith and Dr. Alice Tracy of the Correctional Education Association. This study was presented to the Office of Correctional Education in the United States Department of Education as a collection of data and conclusions pertaining to the effects of education while incarcerated on recidivism. This study is a very thorough collection of data from three American states (Michigan, Ohio and Maryland). These results conclude that education in correctional facilities has a positive effect on lowering recidivism rates.

Quality:

The use of scientific method in this study is a very solid means of proving their hypothesis. Throughout this study the use of compiled data and statistical analysis allows for a very strong presentation of facts. Their conclusion is backed up by many other studies conducted within the same parameters (Smith, Akers). With very little use of opinion these researchers are able to clearly convey their hypothesis that additional education while incarcerated will lower recidivism rates.      

Issues:

I have very few issues with the strength of this study. The researchers use clear data to define topics before elaborating into conclusions. 

Quotes:

“Education provides a real payoff to the public in terms of crime reduction and improved employment of ex-offenders. Investments in correctional education programs have been confirmed as a wise and informed public policy”.

“While it is difficult to ascertain which kinds of education programs are most effective, overall investment in education for the incarcerated seems wise”.

Key Words and Phrases:

Recidivism, Correctional Education, Program Effectiveness, State Surveys, Comparative Analysis, Vocational Rehabilitation, Correctional Rehabilitation, Multivariate Analysis, Multitrait Multimethod Techniques, Matched Groups, Research Reports, Employment Programs

Source link:

http://eric.ed.gov/?id=ED498671  (Summary)

http://www.ceanational.org/PDFs/3StateFinal.pdf   (Full study)

Works Cited:

Smith, L. G., and Akers, R. L. "A Comparison of Recidivism of Florida's Community Control and Prison: A Five-Year Survival    Analysis." Journal of Research in Crime and Delinquency 30.3 (1993): 267-92. Web.

A Correlation Between Prison Funding and Public Safety

Source: 
Budget Cuts Must Lead to Innovation in Corrections

Summary: 
The article gives information on the cost of imprisonment, and on budget cuts that have been made in the corrections industry. The information presented reveals that cutting correctional staff positions and inmate food supplies during budget cuts, can result in prison staff to work in more dangerous conditions. The author suggests that driving focus towards funding reentry programs is necessary when trying to lower recidivism. This would also trigger a drop in prison costs and overcrowding with time, subsequently increasing public safety.

Quality:
The author, Diane B. Williams, has an impressive amount of authority to support the claims made in this article. According to the whitehouse.gov website's information, the author has received national recognition as a "Champion of Change," for her 20 years of "experience working with the criminal justice population." She has also been elected "Chairman of the National Institute of Corrections Advisory Board" and was named "President and Chief Executive Officer of The Safer Foundation."
The Safer Foundation is an organization that provides services to people who have been and who are currently incarcerated. These services aid in lowering recidivism rates and restoring livelihoods upon reentry.

Issues: 
The article states that some reentry programs that contribute to lowered recidivism rates have been terminated because of prison funding budget cuts. The article does not state if other interests are being funded instead of prisons. The author does present facts to support claims made in the article, but the figures are from various locations, in multiple states across the United States. If the data presented were to include national figures, her argument would have been more convincing in showing that a degree of change could be achieved on a larger scale.

Quotes:
"According to the Bureau of Justice Statistics, of the 2.3 million incarcerated, approximately 51.8 percent (1,191,400) of those are people who have recidivated."

"The Urban Institute also reported that beyond offsetting costs, a non-contracted reentry program with even a moderate level of success could be expected to return anywhere from $4.40 to $9 in social benefits for every $1 that is invested."

"Ninety-seven percent of the people that come under correctional supervision will eventually be released. Whatever happens behind those walls -- good and bad -- has an indelible impact not just on the individual but also on our society and our economy."

Key Words and Phrases: 
correctional institutions, prisons, finance, budget deficits, cost effectiveness, taxpayer money, rehabilitation, reentry programs, economic aspects, social benefits, recidivism,

Source Link:
http://web.a.ebscohost.com/ehost/detail/detail?sid=2c1dacda-0de0-4996-a66a-290f1085a787%40sessionmgr4001&vid=3&hid=4201&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZQ%3d%3d#db=a9h&AN=48500559

https://www.whitehouse.gov/champions/drug-control/diane-williams

Works Cited:
Williams, B. Diane. "Budget Cuts Must Lead to Innovation in Corrections." Corrections Today Dec. 2009: 6+. Web. 24 Mar. 2015.

"Diane Williams." The White House. The White House, n.d. Web. 24 Mar. 2015.

Difficulties Prisoners Face in Reentering Society

Source:

"The Prison Problem." Harvard Magazine. Elizabeth Gudrais.  Apr. 2013. Web. 17 Mar. 2015.

Summary:

Elizabeth Gudrais discusses the difficulties that prisoners find when reentering society after having been in prison.  She also talks about using education to prevent crimes, a movement towards reforming prisons, and “breaking the cycle” of prisoners who are released being recommitted, by making them more prepared for the outside world and helping them to find employment.   It also shows the story of a prisoner who seems to have “broken the cycle” for himself.

Quality:

This is a rather high quality source.  It comes from Harvard magazine, which gets its information from Harvard University ("Harvard Magazine").  Elizabeth Gudrais graduated from Harvard she wrote for the Providence Journal, Harvard Magazine, and has written many more articles as a freelance writer ("Elizabeth Gudrais").

Issues:

She provides information about what she believes the problem is, but never proposes ideas for the solution.

Key Words and Phrases:

Recidivism, Reentering society, Prison, reentry, rehabilitation, rearrested

Quotes:

“Western has come to believe that just as offenders’ crimes carry a cost to society, so too does the shortage of social supports and rehabilitative services for offenders." -Elizabeth Gudrais

“hundreds of thousands of people (mostly men) are released from U.S. prisons each year to try to make a go of it in a world where they have failed before—with the added disadvantage of a prison record. More than two-thirds will be rearrested within three years; half will go back in prison.”
-Elizabeth Gudrais

Works Cited:

"Harvard Magazine." Harvard Magazine. Web. 17 Mar. 2015.

"Elizabeth Gudrais." About Elizabeth Gudrais. Web. 17 Mar. 2015.

Evidence of Methods that have Worked

Source:

“Poverty & Prejudice: Breaking the Chains of Inner CityPoverty.” The California Prison and Rehabilitation System. Jon Aborn. Annie van den Toorn. John Hockin. ScottJordon. Man Nayvelt. Michael Finkelstein. Ethics of Development in a GlobalEnvironment. 26 July 1999. Web. 10 Mar 2015.

Summary:

This source describes how the prison systems were at the time, and talks about better uses for the money and time spent on prisons.  They think the money should be spent on education to prevent people from going to jail, and to stop prisoners from going back to jail through rehabilitation in prisons. 

Quality:

This source seems like it has good quality since it comes from Stanford University, which would be a credible source ("Poverty & Prejudice").  The sources that they used appear to be credible as well. Some of the information came from the LA times (Colvin, Richard L)(Morian, Dan).  Some of the information came from Daniel Karpowitz and Max Kenner (Karpowitz, Daniel. Kenner, Max).  Daniel Karpowitz and Max Kenner work to provide education to prisoners ("Who We Are.").  The information would still be relevant, even though it isn't recent, because instead of proposing ideas for the future they compared the present to the past and saw the relationships that already existed.

Issues:

There was little information about any of the authors available.

Key Words and Phrases:
Education as prevention, Rehabilitation, Recidivism, Prison

Quotes:

“We strongly believe that education and rehabilitation are critical to ensuring that these young criminals are given skills and confidence to succeed in society.”

“In New York, it costs $25,000 to incarcerate a prisoner for one year; educating a prisoner for one year costs only $2,500. Educating inmates adds only 10% to the costs and could potentially save the state millions of dollars in the future by preventing recidivism.”

Works Cited:

Colvin, Richard L. "Young Offenders Learn ABCs the Hard Way: Caged." Los Angeles Times. Los Angeles Times, 08 Nov. 1998. Web. 16 Mar. 2015.

Karpowitz, Daniel. Kenner, Max. "Education as Crime Prevention: The Case for Reinstating Pell Grant Eligibility for the Incarcerated." 1 Jan. 1998. Web. 16 Mar. 2015.

Morian, Dan. "Davis Offers Plan for $1 Billion of Surplus." Los Angeles Times. Los Angeles Times, 14 May 1999. Web. 16 Mar. 2015.

"Who We Are." Bard Prison Initiative. N.p., n.d. Web. 28 Mar. 2015.