Why Educate the Incarcerated? 95-43-5
95% of the currently incarcerated people will eventually be released. Do you want them back in your community with the same skill set that led them to prison? OR, do you want them educated and better equipped to be a contributing member to society?
Incarcerated individuals that receive college education have 43% lower recidivism rates than those who do not. It costs over $50,000 to house one inmate for one year in Colorado and over $100,000 in New York and California. Pretty easy math.
For every one dollar invested in educating an incarcerated individual, it saves five dollars of recidivism expenses. Again, this is pretty easy math that doesn't even recognize the emotional benefits like personal growth introspection, and lifelong learning.