This study sought to determine whether criminal thinking possessed by offenders in prison would be significantly reduced through the implementation of motivational curriculum amid a broader menu of treatment and educational programming. This study utilized the Criminal Thinking Scale (CTS) as a pretest and posttest measure of criminal thinking…

The relationship between community employment and decreased likelihood of reoffending has been widely supported. Much remains to be known, however, about the specific aspects of community employment that promote offenders' successful reintegration into the community post-incarceration. In the present study, we used qualitative inquiry to explore…

Acquiring a job after incarceration is a perpetual challenge for ex-offenders. With nearly 95% of incarcerated individuals eventually returning to communities, the effort to understand and maintain employment and self-sufficiency may be a critical component of success. The purpose of this descriptive study was to examine the career thoughts of…

In order to examine the effect of correctional education on post-release employment and recidivism, the Education Division of the Indiana Department of Correction (IDOC) has established a study group of 1,077 offenders and a comparison group of 1,078 offenders to evaluate the outcome measures (e.g, post-release recidivism). All offenders in the…

The primary focus of this study was to explore the characteristics of marginally employed (earnings less than $5,000 per year) ex-offenders. Findings from this study include the following: (1) The number of employed offenders varied from 47.7 percent of recently released offenders in 2006 to 49.8 percent of recently released offenders in 2009; (2)…

The study assessed the effectiveness of the Preparing Inmates for Re-Entry through Assistance, Training, and Employment Skills (PIRATES) group, which focused on improving dysfunctional career thoughts. Participants were male offenders (n = 14) enrolled in a re-entry training class. Results showed a statistically significant decrease in…

Can college participation have any meaningful effects for former prisoners, beyond quantifiable measures of recidivism and income? Although stigma, overt discrimination, and a shrinking low-skilled labor market form notable challenges to reentry, some studies suggest that college experience helps former prisoners successfully avoid recidivism.…

Low levels of reading performance are associated with delinquency. However, few studies have investigated the relationship between early involvement in the justice system and reading problems. This study examined the relationship between youth at various early stages of involvement with criminal behaviors and reading abilities (specifically,…

This study examined inmate perceptions on what is important in appropriately communicating concepts covering the American criminal justice system to children of incarcerated parents. Inmates interviewed at two facilities in Arkansas claimed that they knew little about meanings or consequences of their actions before and after indictment.…

Offenders involved in this study lacked basic financial knowledge which presented a barrier to their success upon release. The researcher modified existing curriculum and created a course in financial literacy for offenders within a medium security correctional facility based upon their personal experiences. The offenders gained financial…

Examines the hypothesis that a poor educational system produces an increase in criminal behavior by reviewing and evaluating research evidence related to relationships such as intelligence and school achievement, school achievement and criminal behavior, and by relating research to data from the Georgia Department of Corrections. (Author/JOW)

Discusses jail and prison populations; ties correctional programs to educational philosophy and practice; addresses the need to develop a better understanding of why people engage in crime; offers suggestions for meeting the challenges of correctional education in 1990s. (Author)

Peasants dispossessed by economic and social change in 16th-Century England created a crime wave in London. In response, Bridewell Prison was established on the premise of rehabilitation: teaching inmates a trade and developing useful work and social habits. (SK)

Based on an examination of the earnings records of ex-offenders released from Virginia correctional institutions from fiscal year 1999 to 2003, this article provides an industrial profile testing the presumption that most ex-offenders are only able to find employment in low-level occupations, with low rates of job retention, and limited customer…

The author examines the nature and purpose of education, and the relationship between education and crime and education and criminals. He poses two questions: Is there something about our way of educating that is conducive to criminality? and How can education be a means of helping restore the criminal to a useful and productive place in society?…