Exploring Gendered Effects of Social Capital in Predicting Enrollment in Prison Education Programs

• In Event: Convict Criminology 3: New Research Papers

Abstract

The United States is home to the world’s largest criminal justice system
where the majority of released ex-convicts re-offend, consequently
accessing successful methods of reducing recidivism has become
tantamount. Education is the most powerful predictor of decreased
recidivism. This research found gendered differences in educational
program usage based on group membership. Membership in parenting
groups was found to be a greater predictor of college and vocational
educational program usage for women than for men. For male inmates,
membership in any type of organized group activity was found to predict
greater educational program usage in college and vocational education
programs

Authors

• Grant Tietjen, St. Ambrose University

• Christopher R.H. Garneau, University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma