Examining The Characteristics Of Correctional Education: A Qualitative Study Giving Voice To The Experiences Of Inmate Learners

The United States accounts for 5% of the global population, yet nearly 25% of the
world’s prison population. Approximately two million people are incarcerated, and 90% of these
individuals will be released. Within three years of post-release, 60% of those individuals will
have successfully reintegrated into society and 40% will have returned to prison. The three-year
cost of reincarceration including criminal justice processes and corrections is estimated between
$2.07 and $2.28 million. However, calculating societal costs burdened by families and
communities is rarely identified in the literature.
Preventing reincarceration is of interest to policy makers and social justice entities. The
Correctional Education Movement began in 1789 and has made tremendous advancements based
on empirical research. Inmates who participated in correctional education programs had a 43%
less chance of recidivating than inmates who did not, a savings of five dollars on reincarceration
costs for every dollar spent on correctional education, approximately $1,400 to $1,744 annually
per inmate.
A void in qualitative research, specifically from the inmate learner’s experience exists.
The purpose of this phenomenological study was to contribute to the evidence base of
correctional education. The inmate learner’s perspective was selected as the core element to
acknowledge its absence in the literature. Research questions examined program access,
enrollment, and participation. Seven one-on-one interviews were completed with adults who
experienced the phenomenon of being an inmate learner in state-operated facilities.