DELINEATING DEMOGRAPHIC PATTERNS: ANALYZING PARTICIPATION IN PRISON MISCONDUCT AND EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS

Abstract

While it is acclaimed that participation in educational programming reduces the likelihood of an individual engaging in misconduct, the body of literature describing prison misconduct and educational programming participation largely treats the two as isolated processes. However, the contexts of how prison education and misconduct intersect are obscured in the limited scholarship. Using the Bureau of Justice Statistics’ Survey of Prison Inmates collected in 2016, individuals were categorized into four groups (1) “Rule Breakers” who only participated in misconduct, (2) “Students” who participated in only educational programming, (3) “None” who participated in neither, and (4) “Both” for those who participated in both. Weighted cross-tabulations of each group were conducted across multiple demographic characteristics to determine the demographic distribution within each group. The findings of this analysis demonstrate that the characteristics of race, level of prior educational attainment, and age all show disproportional distributions depending on group participation. Additionally, this analysis could inform prison policy, emphasizing the importance of providing educational opportunities even for those who engage in misconduct. Such policies could offer broader societal benefits, reducing recidivism and aiding reintegration.