Basic Correctional Education and Recidivism: Findings from PIAAC and NRS

Oct 15, 2026

Potential relationships between incarcerated adult participation in basic correctional education and recidivism seldom receive analysis in large-scale datasets. This research analyzes new Programme for the International Assessment of Adult Competencies findings on characteristics and assessed skills of U.S. incarcerated adults who participate in basic correctional education. It evaluates learning outcomes and available state recidivism rates from the National Reporting System. Recidivism is lower for participants than for incarcerated adults overall, supporting further study and informing practice and policy.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages18

Reading Time45 min

AccessFree to download

Abstract

Introduction

Literature Review: Need vs. Participation

Purpose and Data Sources

Participation and Program Context

ADULT LITERACY EDUCATION SUMMER 2022 | [http://doi.org/10.35847/MPatterson.4.2.18](http://doi.org/10.35847/MPatterson.4.2.18) | | | --- | --- | | | Research Article | Basic Correctional Education and Recidivism: Findings from PIAAC and NRS Margaret Becker Patterson, Research Allies for Lifelong Learning Abstract Potential relationships of incarcerated adult participation in basic correctional education with recidivism seldom receive analysis in largescale datasets. Though 95% of incarcerated adults reenter communities when released, recidivism is higher for adults with low skills. This paper presents new Programme for the International Assessment of Adult Competencies findings on characteristics and skills of U.S. incarcerated adults participating in basic correctional education. The paper also examines adults’learning outcomes and available state recidivism rates from the National Reporting System. Recidivism is lower for adults participating in basic correctional education than for incarcerated adults overall, a finding worth further investigation. Implications for practice and policy are discussed. Keywords: recidivism, basic correctional education, adult learning outcomes, PIAAC, National Reporting System, disabilities Approximately 1.4 million adults are incarcerated in U.S. state and federal prisons, an incarceration rate of 555 per 100,000 adults 18 years and older (Carson, 2020) . Nearly half of incarcerated adults (46 .9%) are 25 to 39 years old, a time when many young adults in the community enter peak years for applying skills to boost earnings and support their families. Virtually all (93%) are men . Additionally, 81,000 adults are incarcerated in local jails (Carson, 2020) . Nearly all (95%) incarcerated adults are eventually released, reenter communities, and seek employment and to rebuild their lives (Delaney & Smith, 2018; Muhlhausen & Hurwitz, 2019) . However, they do so with essentially the same skills as when they were first incarcerated (Klein & Tolbert, 2007) . Basic correctional education programs, defined as programs offering basic skills or high school equivalence instruction to incarcerated adults, provide opportunities for incarcerated adults to gain skills. Although most prisons offer basic correctional education opportunities, participation is low. Limited research on incarcerated adult participation shows support for basic correctional education’s role in preparing reentering adults for employment and reducing recidivism (Cai et al. , 2019) . Adding to the knowledge base on connections between basic correctional education and recidivism is important because about half of reentering adults return to prison within 5 years (Delaney & Smith, 2018; Durose et al. , 2014), and recidivism is higher for adults with less than high school education (Lockwood et al. , 2012) . [Correspondence: margaret@researchallies.org](Correspondence: margaret@researchallies.org) 18 Identifying a relationship between adults learning basic skills while incarcerated and recidivism matters to long-term success for reentering adults. Furthermore, how recidivism relates to education outcomes is unclear and debated. Reed (2015) called for examining incarcerated adults’ education outcomes, such as gainsin learning and completion of high school equivalency (HSE) credentials. She also noted a need to more fully understand conditions in which incarcerated adults make academic progress. The purpose of this paper is to add to the knowledge base on incarcerated adult participation in basic correctional education and correlations ofthat participation with learning outcomes and recidivism. To achieve this purpose, three data sources are employed, including two largescale datasets. First, Programme for the International Assessment of Adult Competencies (PIAAC) findings are presented on background characteristics and assessed skills of U.S. incarcerated adults participating in basic skills or HSE instruction. The pap

FAQs

What is the main research focus of the paper?

The paper examines how incarcerated adults’ participation in basic correctional education relates to learning outcomes and recidivism, using large-scale datasets.

Which data sources are used to support the analysis?

The study uses findings from PIAAC for background characteristics and assessed skills, and it also uses National Reporting System learning outcomes and available state recidivism rates.

How does participation in basic correctional education relate to recidivism?

Recidivism is lower for adults participating in basic correctional education than for incarcerated adults overall, a result the paper recommends investigating further.

Oct 15, 2026

Uploaded by Nguyễn Văn Học