Relationship Between Education And Recidivism

Education, it serves as a key to success for millions of individuals across the country. A high school education alone can lead to an increased probability of getting a job, but a college degree, or even some college can exponentially increase your chances of getting a job and making a decent living. The way our society looks at prisoners is unfavorable to say the least. Studies have shown that ex-felons (particularly African American men) have a severely lower chance of getting a job over those who do not have a criminal record. When an individual has no formal education, and has a criminal record, they often are unable to enjoy the luxury of a stable job with stable income. Many individuals are forced to turn to crime out of lack of jobs or resources. …show more content…
If an individual has some form of higher education, the chances of them gaining a stable employment is significantly higher than those who do not. I pose that increased funding for educational programs in prisons can effectively reduce rates of recidivism. Our society seems to favor a less-caring approach, as many have concerns with the fact of the cost of it, whether or not it will be a ‘waste’, and the general mindset that ‘if normal citizens can't afford an education, than why should people who commit crimes?’ My main argument to this mindset, is that ultimately these programs would increase the availability of jobs for these ex-felons, resulting in less people being required to turn to crime, therefore resulting in less recidivism. With reduced rates of recidivism would come less spending on running prisoners and supplying housing, food, and clothes for prisoners in the long