Education programs cut the odds of returning to prison by 43%, as Libertas Institute noted this week. Vocational training raised the odds of finding work after release by 28 percent in the same RAND review.
RAND Corporation review of the research found that people who took part in education programs in prison had 43% lower odds of recidivism than those who did not, and that the programs cost less than the reincarceration they prevent.
A legislative audit found Utah judges jail third-degree felons at wildly different rates, and no one knows which approach reduces recidivism. Lawmakers should require better sentencing data.
We welcome a plan that treats churches and private groups as recovery partners. They offer what a government agency can’t, such as mentors, belonging, and a reason to stay sober.
