Two new studies find positive effects from prison education. The first, a study of over 5,000 Florida inmates published in the October issue of the journal Crime & Delinquency, examined the impact of adult basic education (ABE) on post-release labor market success. The authors find that ABE participation is associated with higher levels of employment and increased earnings.

A second report is a meta-analysis prepared by RAND for the Bureau of Justice Assistance. Drawing on findings from 58 high-quality studies on prison education, the authors found participating in ABE lowers the odds of recidivating by 43 percent and increases the odds of finding post-release employment by 13 percent. Based on these results, they conclude that every dollar invested in prison education reduced incarceration costs by up to $5 three years post-release.

– Evan Meisler