Education and Correctional Populations

1 By Caroline Wolf Harlow, StatisticianAbout 41% of inmates in the Nation sState and Federal prisons and localjails in 1997 and 31% of probationershad not completed high school or itsequivalent. In comparison, 18% of thegeneral population age 18 or older hadnot finished the 12th 1991 and 1997, the percentof inmates in State prison without ahigh school diploma or GED remainedthe same 40% in 1997 and 41% in1991. Of inmates in State prisons,293,000 in 1991 and 420,600 in 1997had entered prison without a highschool diploma, a 44% 9 in 10 State prisons providededucational programs for their of State prison inmates reportedthey had participated in an educationalprogram since their most recent admis-sion to prison. About a quarter of Stateinmates had taken basic Education orhigh school level courses, and almost a third, vocational training. Data for this report were taken from theSurvey of Inmates in State and FederalCorrectional Facilities, 1997 and 1991,the Survey of Inmates in Local Jails,1996 and 1989, and the Survey ofAdults on Probation, 1995, sponsoredby the Bureau of Justice Statistics(BJS), the Current Population Survey,1997, sponsored by the Bureau of!

2 19% of State prison inmates, 10%of Federal inmates, and 16% of thosein local jails and on probation hadbeen physically or sexually abusedbefore their most recent admission toa Correctional population.! A third of women in State prison, asixth in Federal prison, and a quarterin jail said they had been 3-6% reported that someonehad tried to rape them but had notsucceeded.! 9 in 10 knew their abuser.! 9 in 10 abused men and women inState prison had used illegal of the men and 80% of thewomen used them regularly.! Two thirds had been injured in afight or assault. 68% of State prison inmates did notreceive a high school diploma. About 26% of State prison inmatessaid they had completed the GEDwhile serving time in a correctionalfacility. The groups of State prison inmateswho had not completed high school or the GED included 40% of males and 42% of females27% of whites, 44% of blacks,and 53% of Hispanics52% of inmates 24 or youngerand 35% of inmates 45 or older61% of noncitizens and 38% of citizens59% with a speech disability, 66% with a learning disability, and37% without a reported disability47% of drug offenders12% of those with military serviceand 44% with no military service.

3 Although the percentage of Stateprison inmates who reported takingeducation courses while confined fellfrom 57% in 1991 to 52% in 1997, thenumber who had participated in aneducational program since admissionincreased from 402,500 inmates in1991 to 550,000 in 1997. The following groups of State prisoninmates had participated in an educa -tional program since their most recentadmission to prison:54% without a high schooldiploma, 60% with a GED, 42% with a high school diploma, and43% with postsecondary education52% of males and 50% of females49% of whites, 54% of blacks,and 53% of Hispanics58% who were 24 or younger and 47% of those 45 or older54% of noncitizens and 52% of citizens. Not school high school or lesspopulationtionersinmateseralStatecer atedEducational attainmentGeneralProba-Local jailFed-incar-Prison inmatesTotal Educational attainment for Correctional Populations and the generalpopulationBureau of Justice StatisticsSpecial Department of JusticeOffice of Justice ProgramsRevised 4/15/03 thEducation and CorrectionalPopulations January 2003, NCJ 195670 Labor Statistics, and the National AdultLiteracy Survey, 1992, sponsored bythe National Center for EducationalStatistics.

4 In personal interviews with nationallyrepresentative samples of inmates inState and Federal prisons and localjails and of persons on probation,respondents were asked about pasteducational achievements and recenteducational experiences, as well asabout their offenses, criminal history,and other characteristics. The National Adult Literacy Survey,another personal interview survey,assessed the literacy levels of personsin the general population and includeda short questionnaire about personalcharacteristics, including educationalattainment. The Current Population Survey (CPS)primarily collects monthly data on laborforce participation from a nationallyrepresentative sample of the civiliannoninstitutional population. In March ofeach year the CPS also collectsadditional information, including educa -tional attainment. In addition, some information oneducational programs conducted in Correctional settings from the BJSC ensus of Local Jails, 1999, and theBJS Census of State and Federal AdultCorrectional Facilities, 2000 and 1995,has been used.

5 (See Methodology for further information on these data.) Correctional Populations lesseducated than the generalpopulationCorrectional Populations includingState and Federal prison inmates, localjail inmates, and probationers differsubstantially in educational attainmentfrom persons 18 and older in thegeneral civilian noninstitutional popula-tion. Correctional Populations report lowereducational attainment than do those in the general population. An estimated40% of State prison inmates, 27% ofFederal inmates, 47% of inmates inlocal jails, and 31% of those servingprobation sentences had not com-pleted high school or its equivalentwhile about 18% of the general popula-tion failed to attain high school gradua-tion (table 1).Persons in Correctional populationswere more likely than those in thegeneral population to have passed a test which indicates the same level ofknowledge as those with a high schooldiploma.

6 The Center for Adult Learningand Educational Credentials of theAmerican Council on Education devel-ops the General Educational Develop-ment (GED) test for persons who arenot enrolled in a school. The testassesses academic skills and knowl-edge expected of high school gradu-ates. Employers and educational insti-tutions usually accept the GED as theequivalent of a high school diploma. For a quarter of State prison inmates, a fifth of Federal inmates, a seventh of jail inmates, and a tenth of proba-tioners, as for about 4% of the generalpopulation,* passing the GED testingprocess was the highest level of Education they attained. Participation in college-level courses or post-secondary vocational classeswas less common for those in correc-tional Populations than for persons inthe general population. An estimated11% of State prison inmates, 24% ofFederal inmates, 14% of jail inmates,and 24% of probationers attendedsome college or other postsecondaryinstitution compared to 48% in thegeneral 4/15/03 th2 Education and Correctional Populations Sources: BJS, Survey of Inmates in State and Federal Correctional Facilities, 1997 and 1991; BJS, Survey of Inmates in Local Jails, 1996 and1989; BJS, Survey of Adults on Probation, 1995; Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Population Survey, March supplement, : Probationers have been excluded from the general population.

7 General population includes the noninstitutional population 18 or may not add to 100% due to rounding.*General Educational Development available in the Current Population ,352,0842,029,866393,111503,59953,67788, 705706,1731,055, graduate or school * high school% grade or lesspopulationtioners1989199619911997199 11997 Educational attainmentGeneralProba-Local jail inmatesFederalStatePrison inmatesTable 1. Educational attainment for State and Federal prison inmates, 1997 and 1991, local jail inmates, 1996 and 1989,probationers, 1995, and the general population, 1997*National Center for Education Statistics,National Adult Literacy Survey, 1992, "AdultLiteracy in America," table , page of prison inmates withouta high school Education increasedfrom 1991 to 1997 The percentage of State inmates with-out a high school diploma remainedabout the same between the 1991 and1997 prisoner surveys.

8 About 40% in1997 and 41% in 1991 did not have ahigh school diploma or GED. In Fede-ral prisons, 23% in 1991 and 27% in1997, a small but significant increase,had not estimated 420,600 State prisoninmates in 1997 and 293,000 in 1991did not have a high school Education or a GED over a third more in 1997compared to 1991. In Federal prisons,almost twice as many, 23,500 in 1997and 12,600 in 1991, fit that of State prisoninmates did not earn a high schooldiplomaInmate survey respondents who did notcomplete high school were asked ifthey had received a GED. Respon-dents who had completed the 12thgrade or who had attended college-level courses or post-secondaryvocational classes were asked if theyhad a high school diploma or a inmates who completed less than12 years of schooling and those whoreceived a GED were classified as notcompleting high school. About 75% ofState prison inmates, almost 59% ofFederal inmates, and 69% of jailinmates did not complete high school(table 2).

9 About 35% of State inmates, 33% ofFederal inmates, 22% of jail inmates,and 11% of probationers had success-fully passed the GED. Of those with aGED, at least 7 in 10 State and Federalinmates obtained their GED inmates and the general population reported why theydropped out of schoolApproximately 1 in 6 jail inmatesdropped out of school because theywere convicted of a crime, sent to acorrectional facility, or otherwiseinvolved in illegal activities. Over a third of jail inmates and a sixthof the general population said the mainreason they quit school was because of academic problems, behaviorproblems, or lost interest. About a fifth of jail inmates and two-fifths of thegeneral population gave economicreasons for leaving school, primarilygoing to work, joining the military, or needing money. Revised 4/15/03 th Education and Correctional Populations 3 Sources: BJS, Survey of Inmates in State and Federal Correctional Facilities, 1997; BJS,Survey of Inmates in Local Jails, 1996; BJS, Survey of Adults on Probation, : For the Survey of Inmates in State and Federal Correctional Facilities and the Survey ofInmates in Local Jails, all respondents, regardless of educational attainment, were asked if theyreceived a GED.

10 For the Survey of Adults on Probation, only those respondents who had notcompleted 12th grade were asked if they had a may not add to total due to in those who did not complete high school were inmates who completed less than 12years of schooling and those who received a Educational Development not earn not complete high schoola% high schooltionersinmatesFederalStateHigh school completionProba-Local jailPrison InmatesTable 2. High school completion, for State and Federal prison inmates, 1997, local jail inmates, 1996, and probationers, 1995 Sources: BJS, Survey of Inmates in LocalJail, 1996; National Center for EducationalStatistics, National Adult Literacy Survey,1992. Note: General population includes persons 18 or militaryWent to work illegal facilitysent to correc-Convicted of crime, or personal% lost interestdemic problemsBehavior or aca- GeneralpopulationLocal jailinmatesMost importantreason for drop- ping out of schoolEducational attainment definedas the last completed year of school The definitions and numbers in thisreport are as consistent as possiblewith those of the National Center for Educational Statistics and theBureau of Labor Statistics.