Most formerly incarcerated people in the US are arrested within three years of release from prison. What is the problem here? We already have tons of programs for adult offenders and many of them are quite effective at reducing recidivism. Check it out:

___2021 Cost-Benefit of Programs for Adult Offenders.png

With all these great programs, why are so many of the formerly incarcerated still returning to a life of crime? Partly because they lack the education and skills to get a well-paying job. Consider:

“People involved in the correctional system in the U.S. tend to be undereducated and underemployed compared to the general population. Roughly two-fifths of the people entering prison do not have a high school degree or General Educational Development (GED) credential, a rate which is three times higher than for adults in the U.S.  The disparity for postsecondary education is even greater, where the rate at which adults have an associate’s degree or more is four times higher than what has been observed for prisoners.” - Grant Duwe and Makada Henry-Nickie, “A better path forward for criminal justice: Training and employment for correctional populations” by /Brookings. April 2021.

Equally important, the formerly incarcerated often lack the financial resources to support themselves while they look for work or upgrade their job skills through further education and training. And when you don’t have enough money for reliable transportation, stable housing, or even something decent to wear at a job interview, the barriers to success can seem insurmountable. At least crime pays, if only for a while.

In a previous post, I suggested former offenders be provided an Adult Student Basic Income (ASBI) of $1000/month if they participated in an education or training program at least part-time (minimum nine hours a week, including homework and study time). The ASBI would not be means-tested, so they could still work if they wanted to. An ASBI would provide a steady income while building skills for a better job. And it’s relatively cheap compared to the cost of recidivism, which, according to one study, is over $150,000 per person for each instance. That’s more than twice the maximum life-time ASBI benefit (six years x $12,000/year). And per the above chart, education and training programs are among the most cost-effective recidivism-reduction tools we have. More former offenders would enroll in these programs if they got paid for it.

What’s not to love? Well, for one thing, few people can live on $1000 a month and former offenders face formidable financial challenges upon release from incarceration, e.g., first and last month rent plus deposit, a means of transportation, and so on. Plus, a lot of employers don’t want to hire former offenders. Getting a job could take awhile.

Why not allow offenders in prison or jail education and training programs get a partial ASBI while still incarcerated and then release the funds when they get out? The money would sure come in handy.

Next: Fleshing out the details.

References:

“A better path forward for criminal justice: Training and employment for correctional populations” by Grant Duwe and Makada Henry-Nickie/Brookings. April 2021. https://www.brookings.edu/research/a-better-path-forward-for-criminal-justice-training-and-employment-for-correctional-populations/

Aos, S. & Drake, E. (2013). Prison, Police and Programs: Evidence-based Options that
Reduce Crime and Save Money (Doc. No. 13-11-1901). Olympia, WA: Washington State Institute for Public Policy. https://www.wsipp.wa.gov/ReportFile/1396/Wsipp_Prison-Police-and-Programs-Evidence-Based-Options-that-Reduce-Crime-and-Save-Money_Full-Report.pdf

“Release Planning for Successful Reentry: A Guide for Corrections, Service Providers, and Community Groups” by Nancy G. La Vigne, Elizabeth Davies, Tobi Palmer, Robin Halberstadt/Urban Institute October 8, 2008. https://www.urban.org/research/publication/release-planning-successful-reentry