Education Summary of Evaluations and Outcomes, The Council of State Governments Justice Center: Education Summary of Evaluations and Outcomes, Programs

This site provides a compilation of research on the effects of participation in educational programming while incarcerated on recidivism and employment post-release. The research includes twelve studies of correctional education programs, including adult basic education, high school or GED programs, college or post-secondary programs, and vocational training programs. While this site notes that many studies of these programs were not methodologically rigorous and that further research is necessary to get a fuller picture of this issue, it does report that some programs appear to effectively reduce recidivism, particularly those providing post-secondary education. Research also suggests that the quality of the program may be important for reducing recidivism. In addition to reporting research findings, this site also provides, where available, detailed descriptions of the programs evaluated in the studies.