Correctional Education and Recidivism in a Woman's Correctional Center

Abstract

This study was designed to determine whether academic edu cational achievements of women inmates during incarceration had significant effects upon their subsequent recidivism. An experi mental group of 100 ex-inmates who had received the General Educational Development (G.E.D.) certificate while in prison was equated in terms of 14 personal and criminal factors to a control group of 100 ex-inmates who had not completed the G.E.D. pro gram. The groups were then compared in terms of recidivism rates. Although the proportion of non-recidivists was slightly higher for the G.E.D. group than for the control group, the difference was not significant at the .05 level of confidence. Thus, the hypotheses that successful participation in academic educational programs by women inmates reduces their subsequent recidivism was not sup ported.