Why Prisoners Want a Higher Education, and the Barriers They Face

Monique O. Ositedlu's new report, "Equipping Individuals for Life Beyond Bars: The Promise of Higher Education & Job Training in Closing the Gap in Skills for Incarcerated Adults" was mentioned in the Association of American Colleges & Universities newsletter.

A new survey by Monique O. Ositelu for New America, Equipping Individuals for Life Beyond Bars: The Promise of Higher Education & Job Training in Closing the Gap in Skills for Incarcerated Adults, examined the experiences, aspirations, and barriers of higher education for adults in prison. The New America survey included 8,670 responses from the general public and 1,319 responses from adults incarcerated in federal or state prison.

Incarcerated adult respondents were predominantly male (93 percent), younger than forty-five (72 percent), and people of color (60 percent). These figures far outpace the proportion of these demographic groups in the general US population.

Most incarcerated adults (57 percent) “expect to be released from prison in fewer than two years,” the report said, while 94 percent expect to be released at some point. Six percent will likely never be released.