“He who opens a school door closes a prison.” —Victor Hugo

Image by Dave Dugdale

We know that reading helps children develop skills they need for learning and is essential to a strong economy, but the effects of literacy go even further. Lack of education has been tied to criminal behavior, and education may be a means of preventing recidivism.

A majority of prison inmates lack the basic skills and education they need to gain employment upon release. According to Golden Spike Treatment Ranch, Inc., an organization dedicated to helping former inmates gain housing and employment upon release, 90 percent of criminal offenders and prison inmates have less than a high school education.

This makes for a difficult situation when inmates are released from prison and reenter society. Without the credentials they need to secure employment, many find themselves back in the cycle that led them to incarceration. Other factors also contribute to recidivism that certainly shouldn’t be ignored—substance abuse, homelessness and broken relationships, for example—but there are connections between criminal behavior and lack of education.

The average national recidivism rate is 67 percent, but a recent study suggests education could help the situation. According to the study, inmates who received some post-secondary education after incarceration had recidivism rates 40 percent lower than those who didn’t. The rate dropped to 13 percent for those who earned a bachelor’s degree and to just one percent for those who earned master’s degrees.

Organizations that work to help people who have been incarcerated are doing a great service not only for individuals but also for society. We at Professional Marketing International support such organizations, like Golden Spike Treatment Ranch, Inc., and also donate our time and resources to helping children learn to love reading. As more people gain a quality education, the promise of the future grows ever brighter.