According to available data, less than 1% of prisoners in the United States have college degrees. This is a stark contrast to the general population, where more than 30% of adults hold a college degree.
The lack of educational opportunities and resources for prisoners has been identified as a significant issue leading to a high rate of recidivism. According to a report by the RAND Corporation, “educational programs for prisoners can reduce recidivism and improve post-release employment outcomes, which can lead to cost savings for taxpayers.”
Unfortunately, funding for prison education programs has been consistently cut in recent years. In 1994, the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act removed Pell Grants for prisoners, effectively ending most prison education programs. However, in recent years, there has been a growing push to reinstate these programs and provide greater opportunities for prisoners.
In the words of education advocate and author, Jonathan Kozol, “Prisons should be universities of life. Everyone should leave having learned something.”
Below is a table comparing the percentage of prisoners with college degrees to the general population:
Prisoners
General population
Percentage with degree
<1%
30%+
I discovered more answers on the internet
Only 15 percent of incarcerated adults earn a postsecondary degree or certificate either prior to or during incarceration, while almost half (45 percent) of the general public have completed some form of postsecondary education. See figure 6.
The percentage of inmates with a college degree is very low. Less than 1% of formerly incarcerated people with in-prison GEDs attain college degrees. In contrast, 48% of the general population attend some college or other postsecondary institution. An estimated 11% of State prison inmates, 24% of Federal inmates, 14% of jail inmates, and 24% of probationers attended some college or other postsecondary institution.
Of all formerly incarcerated people with in-prison GEDs, less than 10% go on to take any college coursework, and less than 1% attain college degrees. In contrast, nearly half of GED holders in the general public go on to complete at least some college.
An estimated 11% of State prison inmates, 24% of Federal inmates, 14% of jail inmates, and 24% of probationers attended some college or other postsecondary institution compared to 48% in the general population.
This link should give you a wonderful breakdown of inmates and their education. It also breaks down the Percent from 1997 to present as well as what the offenders with post secondary education are incarcerated for. Hope this not only answers your question but gives even deeper understanding of “educated inmates”
Characteristics of Inmates – Education Of Prison And Jail Inmates [ http://www.libraryindex.com/pages/2528/Characteristics-Inmates-EDUCATION-PRISON-JAIL-INMATES.html ]
A visual response to the word “What percentage of prisoners have college degrees?”
The video discusses a successful program that offers college education to incarcerated individuals, which has lowered recidivism rates and provided a second chance for those who have been in prison. It has helped participants take control of their future and find employment upon release. The program has an impressive less than 1% recidivism rate, giving hope to individuals who want to make a change.
Answer: Many inmates work toward a General Educational Development (GED) test while in prison. A GED is equivalent to a high school diploma and is the highest level of education some inmates have.
What percent of prisoners are uneducated?
Answer will be: According to the National Adult Literacy Survey, 70% of all incarcerated adults cannot read at a fourth-grade level, “meaning they lack the reading skills to navigate many everyday tasks or hold down anything but lower (paying) jobs.” Data supports that those without sufficient income earned by work are the most prone
What are the statistics of prisoners?
Answer: The U.S. prison population was 1,204,300 at yearend 2021, a 1% decrease from 2020 (1,221,200) and a 25% decrease from 2011 (1,599,000).
What is the leading cause of death in jails?
Answer to this: Suicides Suicides are the leading cause of jail deaths.
What percentage of prison students go to college?
As an answer to this: In State prisons between 1995 and 2000, the percentages of prisons offer- ing classes increased for basic educa- tion (76% to 80%), high school courses (80% to 84%), and special education programs (33% to 40%), while the percentage with college classes went down (31% to 27%).
What percentage of prisoners have a high school diploma?
As an answer to this: This population is one with low education attainment. About 40 percent of [prisoners] lack a high school education. Sixteen percent of state prisoners have a high school diploma. Education can have a huge effect in really helping them to gain the skills they need and prepare them to be employed.
What percentage of inmates take education courses while confined?
The response is: • Although the percentage of State prison inmates who reported taking education courses while confined fell from 57% in 1991 to 52% in 1997, the number who had participated in an educational program since admission increased from 402,500 inmates in 1991 to 550,000 in 1997.
Can incarcerated people get a college degree?
The reply will be: Some of the greatest barriers to accessing higher education while incarcerated or after release from prison include: In-prison college degree granting programs are still inaccessible for most incarcerated people.
What percentage of prison inmates take education courses?
Response will be: Although the percentage of State prison inmates who reported taking education courses while confined fell from 57% in 1991 to 52% in 1997, the number who participated in an educational program since admission increased from 402,500 inmates in 1991 to 550,000 in 1997.
Can a prisoner get a college degree?
Response: However, access to opportunities for education in prison remain limited. Prisoners seeking college degrees have very few options. Likewise, ex-offenders face a number of practical obstacles, including strict limitations on access to financial aid.
What percentage of incarcerated adults have less than a high school diploma?
The reply will be: The results were compared to non-incarcerated adults in U.S. households who took the same assessments and completed a similar questionnaire as part of the national PIAAC program. The results show that 30 percent of incarcerated adults had attained less than a high school diploma—twice the percentage for U.S. households (14 percent).
What percentage of federal prisoners are incarcerated for a crime?
More than half of federal prisoners are incarcerated for a drug offense, compared to just 16 percent of state prisoners. Conversely, more than half of state prisoners are incarcerated for a violent crime, compared to just 6 percent of federal prisoners (Carson 2015).
