ERIC EJ841387: Literacy behind Bars: Results from the 2003 National Assessment of Adult Literacy Prison Survey: Chapter 4--Education and Job Training in Prison

2008·0.17 MB·English

by  ERIC

The Journal for Vocational Special Needs Education 27
Literacy Behind Bars: Results From the 2003 National
Assessment of Adult Literacy Prison Survey
Chapter 4: Education and Job Training in Prison
by Elizabeth Greenberg, Eric Dunleavy, and Mark Kutner, American Institutes for Research
Prisons are intended to rehabili- reer. I’ve had jobs, but never had mates in 2003 than in 1992
tate criminal offenders, as well anything that would take me (Welsh 2002).
as to punish and incapacitate anywhere. It’s scary to come out In 2003, some 43 percent of
them. The education and train- of jail and not realize what you’re prison inmates had a high
ing systems operating within going to do” (Clayton 2005). school diploma or a GED/high
most prisons are a key compo- This chapter describes the school equivalency certificate
nent of the rehabilitation mis- relationships among literacy, when they began their current
sion of prisons. Previous stud- education, and vocational train- incarceration, so helping in-
ies have shown a relationship ing in prison. The analyses in mates complete their high
between participation in educa- the chapter discuss both the school education is a major aim
tional programs and recidivism prevalence of inmate participa- of many prison academic pro-
rates, with inmates who attend tion in education and training grams (figure 4-1).11 Among
education programs less likely programs and the relationship prison inmates in 2003, some 19
to be reincarcerated after their between literacy levels and pro- percent had earned their GED/
release (Vacca 2004). gram participation. high school equivalency certifi-
cate during their current incar-
There are many reasons why
Academic Education ceration, and an additional 5
prison inmates may be moti-
vated to participate in education In both 1992 and 2003, GED percent were currently enrolled
and training programs. Among classes were available in most in academic classes.
these may be a realization that prisons. However, because of Having a GED/high school
they do not have skills that will restrictions in Pell Grants that equivalency certificate or a high
lead to employment upon their were implemented in 1994, school diploma may be particu-
release from prison. As one in- higher educational opportunities larly important for inmates who
mate said, “I’ve never had a ca- were more limited for prison in- expect to be released soon and
Figure 4-1. Percentage of the adult prison popula- Figure 4-2. Percentage of the adult prison popula­
tion, by GED/high school diploma tion with a GED/high school equivalen­
attainment: 2003 cy certificate or high school diploma, by
expected date of release: 2003
Percent

100
Percent
100
80

80

60
65
60
43 60

40
33
19 40

20

5 20

0
No GED/no No GED/no Earned GED Earned GED/H.S.
H.S. diploma/ H.S. diploma/ during current diploma prior 0
2 years or less More than 2 years
not currently currently incarceration to current
enrolled in enrolled in incarceration Expected date of release
academic classes academic classes
GED/H.S. diploma attainment NOTE: Adults are defined as people 16 years of age and older living in prisons. Adults who could not
be interviewed due to language spoken or cognitive or mental disabilities (1 percent in 2003) are
NOTE: Detail may not sum to totals because of rounding. Adults are defined as people 16 years of excluded from this figure.The category “earned GED/H.S. diploma prior to current incarceration”
age and older living in prisons. Adults who could not be interviewed due to language spoken or includes prison inmates who had higher levels of educational attainment (postsecondary educa­
cognitive or mental disabilities (1 percent in 2003) are excluded from this figure.The category tion) prior to their current incarceration.
“earned GED/H.S. diploma prior to current incarceration” includes prison inmates who had higher SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, Institute of Education Sciences, National Center for
levels of educational attainment (postsecondary education) prior to their current incarceration. Education Statistics, 2003 National Assessment of Adult Literacy.
SOURCE: U.S.Department of Education, Institute of Education Sciences, National Center for
Education Statistics, 2003 National Assessment of Adult Literacy.
28 Volume 30, Number 2, Winter 2008
will need to find a job outside of current incarceration or prior to equivalency certificate had Be-
prison. However, the difference their current incarceration) had low Basic prose and quantitative
in the percentage of inmates who higher average prose, document, literacy than prison inmates
expected to be released in 2 and quantitative literacy than who were currently enrolled in
years or less and had a GED/ inmates who were currently en- academic classes or did not have
high school equivalency certifi- rolled in academic classes in a GED/high school equivalency
cate or high school diploma, and prison but had not yet earned certificate and were not enrolled
the percentage of inmates who their GED/high school equiva- in classes (figure 4-4). Similar to
expected to be released in more lency certificate (figure 4-3). figure 4-3, there were no statis-
than 2 years and had a GED/ They also had higher average tically significant differences in
high school equivalency certificate prose, document, and quantita- the percentage of inmates at any
or high school diploma, was not tive literacy than inmates who of the literacy levels between
statistically significant. (figure 4-2) were not enrolled in any aca- inmates who earned their high
As discussed in chapter 2, demic classes. The differences in school diploma or GED/high
prison inmates’ average prose average prose, document, and school equivalency certificate
and quantitative literacy in- quantitative literacy between prior to their current incarcera-
creased with each increasing inmates who earned their GED/ tion and inmates who earned
education level, and their docu- high school equivalency certifi- their GED/high school equiva-
ment literacy increased with cate during their current incar- lency certificate during their
each increasing education level ceration and inmates who en- current incarceration.
up to a high school diploma or tered prison with a high school
Vocational Education
GED/high school equivalency diploma or GED/high school
certificate (figure 2-7). equivalency certificate were not Vocational education programs
Prison inmates who had a statistically significant. are designed to prepare prison
high school diploma or a GED/ A lower percentage of prison inmates for work after their re-
high school equivalency certifi- inmates who had a high school lease from prison. In 2000, some
cate (either earned during their diploma or a GED/high school 56% of state prisons and 94%
Figure 4-3. Average prose, document, and quantitative literacy scores of the adult prison population, by
GED/high school diploma attainment: 2003
Average score No GED/H.S. diploma Average score GED/H.S. diploma
500 500
350 350
300 300
273 273
262 261 266 266
250 250

228 227 223 227 224

217
200 200
150 150
0 0
Prose Document Quantitative Prose Document Quantitative
Literacy scale Literacy scale
No GED/not currently enrolled No GED/currently enrolled Earned GED during Earned GED/H.S. diploma prior
in academic classes in academic classes current incarceration to current incarceration
NOTE: Adults are defined as people 16 years of age and older living in prisons. Adults who could not be interviewed due to language spoken or cognitive or mental disabilities (1 percent in 2003) are excluded

from this figure.The category “earned GED/H.S.diploma prior to current incarceration”includes prison inmates who had higher levels of educational attainment (postsecondary education) prior to their current

incarceration.

SOURCE: U.S.Department of Education, Institute of Education Sciences, National Center for Education Statistics, 2003 National Assessment of Adult Literacy.
The Journal for Vocational Special Needs Education 29
Figure 4-4. Percentage of the adult prison population in each prose, document, and quantitative literacy level,
by GED/high school diploma attainment: 2003
Prose Document
Diploma status Diploma status
No GED/not currently No GED/not currently

enrolled in
33 48 19 # enrolled in
32 41 27 #
academic classes
academic classes
No GED/currently No GED/currently

enrolled in
32 53 16 # enrolled in
27 48 25 #
academic classes
academic classes
Earned GED during 5 35 57 3 Earned GED during
3 32 63 1
current incarceration
current incarceration
Earned GED/H.S. diploma Earned GED/H.S. diploma

prior to current
8 33 53 6 prior to current
9 29 59 3
incarceration
incarceration
80 60 40 20 0 20 40 60 80 1 00
80 60 40 20 0 20 40 60 80 1 00
Percent Below Basic Percent Basic and above
Percent Below Basic Percent Basic and above
Quantitative
Diploma status
No GED/not currently
enrolled in 65 28 7 #
academic classes
No GED/currently
enrolled in 62 32 6 #
academic classes
Earned GED during
23 50 25 2
current incarceration
Earned GED/H.S. diploma
prior to current 25 44 28 3
incarceration
80 60 40 20 0 20 40 60 80 1 00
Percent Below Basic Percent Basic and above
Below Basic Basic Intermediate Proficient
# Rounds to zero.

NOTE: Detail may not sum to totals because of rounding. Adults are defined as people 16 years of age and older living in prisons. Adults who could not be interviewed due to language spoken or cognitive or men­

tal disabilities (1 percent in 2003) are excluded from this figure.The category “earned GED/H.S.diploma prior to current incarceration”includes prison inmates who had higher levels of educational attainment

(postsecondary education) prior to their current incarceration.

SOURCE: U.S.Department of Education, Institute of Education Sciences, National Center for Education Statistics, 2003 National Assessment of Adult Literacy.
30 Volume 30, Number 2, Winter 2008
of federal prisons offered voca- current incarceration, 71 per- year. In 2003, 14 percent of in-
tional training (Harlow 2003). cent of prison inmates had not mates were on a waiting list to
Examples of the types of voca- participated in any vocational participate in a vocational edu-
tional education programs training, 11 percent participated cation program, and 10 percent
sometimes offered by prisons are in vocational training programs were enrolled in vocational edu-
auto mechanics, construction that lasted less than 6 months, cation classes (figure 4-6).
trades, equipment repair, HVAC 8 percent participated in pro- Participation in vocational
installation and repair, culinary grams that lasted 6 to 12 training may be particularly im-
arts, cosmetology, and desktop months, and 9 percent partici- portant for inmates who are get-
publishing. The exact programs pated in vocational training pro- ting close to their release date
offered differ among prisons. As grams that lasted more than a and will need to find a job out-
shown in figure 4-5, during their
Figure 4-5. Percentage of the adult prison popula­ Figure 4-6. Percentage of the adult prison popula­
tion, by length of participation in voca­ tion, by enrollment in vocational train­
tional training programs: 2003 ing: 2003
Percent Percent
100 100
77
80 80
71
60 60
40 40
20 11 8 9 20 10 14
0 0

No Less than 6-12 months More than Currently enrolled On a waiting list Not enrolled and

participation 6 months 1 year in classes not on waiting list

Enrollment status
Length of participation
NOTE: Detail may not sum to totals because of rounding. Adults are defined as people 16 years of NOTE: Detail may not sum to totals because of rounding. Adults are defined as people 16 years of
age and older living in prisons. Adults who could not be interviewed due to language spoken or age and older living in prisons. Adults who could not be interviewed due to language spoken or
cognitive or mental disabilities (1 percent in 2003) are excluded from this figure. cognitive or mental disabilities (1 percent in 2003) are excluded from this figure.
SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, Institute of Education Sciences, National Center for SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, Institute of Education Sciences, National Center for
Education Statistics, 2003 National Assessment of Adult Literacy. Education Statistics, 2003 National Assessment of Adult Literacy.
Figure 4-7. Percentage of the adult prison popula­
tion who participated in vocational train­
ing during their current incarceration, by
expected date of release: 2003
Percent
100
80
60
40 32
27
20
0
2 years or less More than 2 years
Expected date of release
NOTE: Adults are defined as people 16 years of age and older living in prisons. Adults who could not
be interviewed due to language spoken or cognitive or mental disabilities (1 percent in 2003) are
excluded from this figure.
SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, Institute of Education Sciences, National Center for
Education Statistics, 2003 National Assessment of Adult Literacy.
The Journal for Vocational Special Needs Education 31
side of prison. However, the per- ticipated in any vocational train- prisons as part of their voca-
centage of incarcerated adults ing (figure 4-9). A higher per- tional education program. As
who expected to be released centage of prison inmates with shown in figure 4-11, some 6
within the next 2 years and par- Below Basic prose literacy than percent of adults in prisons had
ticipated in vocational training with Intermediateprose literacy had some type of IT certification in
was not statistically significantly not participated in any vocational 2003 (earned either in prison or
different from the percentage training programs (figure 4-10). prior to their current incarcera-
Vocational training programs tion), compared with 8 percent
Skill Certification
often include academic instruc- of adults living in households.
tion in the reading, writing, and Information technology (IT) is a The difference in the percentage
mathematics skills required for growing area of employment. of adults in prisons and house-
a particular profession, as well Certification programs, both holds who had other types of
as instruction in general work within prisons and for the gen- certification was not statistically
skills such as how to communi- eral population, are becoming significant.
cate or work with other people. more commonly available. IT Within both the prison and
Among those inmates who par- certification is available in a va- households populations, adults
ticipated in vocational training riety of areas, including both who had received IT or other cer-
programs, 46 percent received basic skills such as word pro- tification had higher prose,
some instruction in reading as cessing and more advanced document, and quantitative lit-
part of the program, 44 percent skills such as computer net- eracy than adults who had not
received instruction in writing, working. Other types of job-re- received any certification (fig-
63 percent received instruction lated skill certification that are ures 4-12 and 4-13). However,
in mathematics, 31 percent re- recognized by a licensing board adults in the prison population
ceived instruction in computer or an industry or professional who had received IT or other cer-
skills, and 74 percent received association also provide creden- tification had lower average lit-
instruction in how to communi- tials that are
cate or work better with other recognized in
people (figure 4-8). the job mar- Figure 4-9. Average prose, document, and quantita­
Prison inmates who had par- ket. Certifi- tive literacy scores of the adult prison
ticipated in vocational training cation pro- population, by participation in voca­
in the past had higher average grams are tional training: 2003
prose and document literacy sometimes
than inmates who had not par- offered by Average score
500
350
Figure 4-8. Percentage of the adult prison popula­
tion participating in vocational training
300
who received selected types of instruc­
tion as part of the vocational training, 265
257 255 253 255 252 254
by type of instruction: 2003 250 246 247
Percent

100

200
80 74

63

60

46 44
150

40

31
0

20
Prose Document Quantitative
Literacy scale
0

Reading Writing Mathematics Computers Communication

Current participation
Past participation No participation
Vocational training emphasis
NOTE: Adults are defined as people 16 years of age and older living in prisons. Adults who could not NOTE: Adults are defined as people 16 years of age and older living in prisons. Adults who could not
be interviewed due to language spoken or cognitive or mental disabilities (1 percent in 2003) are be interviewed due to language spoken or cognitive or mental disabilities (1 percent in 2003) are
excluded from this figure. excluded from this figure.
SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, Institute of Education Sciences, National Center for SOURCE: U. S. Department of Education, Institute of Education Sciences, National Center for
Education Statistics, 2003 National Assessment of Adult Literacy. Education Statistics, 2003 National Assessment of Adult Literacy.
32 Volume 30, Number 2, Winter 2008
Figure 4-10. Percentage of the adult prison population who participated in vocational training, by prose, docu­

ment, and quantitative literacy level: 2003

100
Prose 100
Document
80
80

Percent 60
Percent 60

current or past
current or past

participation 40
participation 40

16
20
10 10 10 10 20
9 9 10
13 18 22 21 14 19 21 26
0
0

20
20

58
Percent no
40
77 72 68 69 Percent no
40
78 73 69
participation
participation

60
60

80
80

100
100

Below Basic Basic Intermediate Proficient
Below Basic Basic Intermediate Proficient

Literacy level Literacy level
100
Quantitative
80

Percent 60

current or past

participation 40

20
9 10 10 9
17 22 19 13
0

20

Percent no 40
75 68 70 78
participation
60

80

100

Below Basic
Basic Intermediate Proficient
Literacy level
Current participation Past participation No participation
NOTE: Detail may not sum to totals because of rounding. Adults are defined as people 16 years of age and older living in prisons. Adults who could not be interviewed due to language spoken or cognitive or men­

tal disabilities (1 percent in 2003) are excluded from this figure.

SOURCE: U. S. Department of Education, Institute of Education Sciences, National Center for Education Statistics, 2003 National Assessment of Adult Literacy.
The Journal for Vocational Special Needs Education 33
Figure 4-11. Percentage of the adult prison and Figure 4-12. Average prose, document, and quanti­
household populations who have tative literacy scores of the adult
received skill certification: 2003 prison and household populations, by
receipt of information technology skill
Percent certification: 2003
100
IT certification Other certification
Average score
80
500
Prose Document Quantitative
60
350
40
25 27 302*
20 300 291*
0 6 8* 276 273* 267 269* 285* 277 281*
Prison Household Prison Household 255 247 247
250
Population
*Significantly different from prison population.
200
NOTE: Adults are defined as people 16 years of age and older living in prisons or households. Adults

who could not be interviewed due to language spoken or cognitive or mental disabilities (1 percent

of the prison sample and 3 percent of the household sample in 2003) are excluded from this figure.

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, Institute of Education Sciences, National Center for
150
Education Statistics, 2003 National Assessment of Adult Literacy.

0
Prison Household Prison Household Prison Household
Population
Figure 4-13. Average prose, document, and quanti­
tative literacy scores of the adult
No IT certification Received IT certification
prison and household populations, by
receipt of other job-related skill certifi­
cation: 2003 *Significantly different from prison population.

NOTE: Adults are defined as people 16 years of age and older living in prisons or households. Adults

who could not be interviewed due to language spoken or cognitive or mental disabilities (1 percent

Average score
of the prison sample and 3 percent of the household sample in 2003) are excluded from this figure.

500
Prose Document Quantitative SOURCE: U. S. Department of Education, Institute of Education Sciences, National Center for

Education Statistics, 2003 National Assessment of Adult Literacy.

350
Figure 4-14. Percentage of the adult prison and
297*
300 291* household populations in each quanti­
283*
277*
270 269* 266* tative literacy level, by receipt of infor­
252 255 259 mation technology skill certification:
246 246
250
2003
200 Percent
100
80
150
60
0
Prison Household Prison Household Prison Household
40
Population
No other job certification Received other job certification 20 2 5 8 7 10 9 9 12
0
Below Basic Basic Intermediate Proficient
Literacy level
*Significantly different from prison population.

NOTE: Adults are defined as people 16 years of age and older living in prisons or households. Adults

who could not be interviewed due to language spoken or cognitive or mental disabilities (1 percent

Prison Household
of the prison sample and 3 percent of the household sample in 2003) are excluded from this figure.

SOURCE: U. S. Department of Education, Institute of Education Sciences, National Center for

Education Statistics, 2003 National Assessment of Adult Literacy.

NOTE:Adults are defined as people 16 years of age and older living in prisons or households. Adults
who could not be interviewed due to language spoken or cognitive or mental disabilities (1 percent
of the prison sample and 3 percent of the household sample in 2003) are excluded from this figure.
SOURCE: U. S. Department of Education, Institute of Education Sciences, National Center for
Education Statistics, 2003 National Assessment of Adult Literacy.
34 Volume 30, Number 2, Winter 2008
eracy on all three scales than References Washington,DC: National Cen-
adults in the household popu- ter for Education Statistics. This
Clayton, S.L. (2005). Jail Inmates
lation who had received the document is in the public domain.
Bake Their Way to Successful Reen-
same type of certification. try. Corrections Today, 67(2): 78-81.
Endnotes
In both the prison and Harlow,C. (2003). Education and
households populations, the dif- Correctional Populations. U.S. 11 The 43 percent of prison inmates
ferences in the percentage of Department of Justice. Washington, who had a high school diploma
adults in each quantitative lit- DC: Bureau of Justice Statistics. or a GED/high school equiva-
eracy level who had received IT Vacca, J.S. (2004). Educated Pris- lency certificate when they began
oners Are Less Likely to Return their current incarceration in-
certification were not significant
to Prison. Journal of Correctional cludes prison inmates who had
(figure 4-14).Within each quan-
Education,55(4): 297-305. higher levels of educational at-
titative literacy level, the differ-
Welsh, M.F. (2002).The Effects of tainment (postsecondary education)
ences in the percentage of the the Elimination of Pell Grant Eli- prior to their current incarceration.
prison and household popula-
gibility for State Prison Inmates.
tions with IT certification were Journal of Correctional Education,
not statistically significant. 53(4): 154–58
Within both the prison and The proceeding chapter was re-
household populations, adults printed from: Greenberg, E.,
with Below Basic quantitative Dunleavy, E., and Kutner,M.
literacy were less likely to have (2007). Literacy Behind Bars: Re-
received certification other than sults From the 2003 National As-
IT than adults with Basic or In- sessment of Adult Literacy Prison
termediate quantitative literacy Survey (NCES 2007 473).
(figure 4-15). U.S.Department of Education.