The Idea of an Essay, Volume 4

Research Writing 157 system as a juvenile.” The system is so broken, many juvenile offenders remain criminals even as they continue their adult lives. Therefore, it comes as no surprise that a link between adult literacy and criminality also exists. Research estimates vary, largely because of varying definitions of literacy, but Haigler, et. al (1994) notes that of adult offenders, roughly 35% fall into level 1 (out of 5) and another 35% fall into level 2. These numbers demonstrate an astounding high rate of low literacy of criminals, showing a clear link between crime and literacy, although different studies have produced some varying results. The Criminal Justice Initiative (1997) finds in its research that the number of functionally illiterate is roughly 40%, but despite the slight controversy Shutay, et. al (2010) note that “what is known is that educational attainment and literacy of inmates tends to be lower than that of the population at large.” This conclusion is what shows the correlation between illiteracy and crime so strongly, that criminals have a significantly lower average literacy than the normal population. Like the correlation identified in youth, all professionals identify a correlation between adult criminality and literacy. Kidder (1990) even argues, “Illiteracy is perhaps the strongest common denominator among individuals in corrections.” While this correlation is disturbing, the true problem lies in the recidivism some argue this illiteracy causes. Recidivism in the United States is incredibly high. Sources from the Federal Sentencing Reporter (2002) show that within the first three years of release, approximately 67.5% of prisoners were arrested, at least once. While this number references the number of arrests, not the number of offenders that were re-incarcerated, it still represents a disturbing trend of high crime even after a life within correctional facilities. The Criminal Justice Initiative (1997) also notes that the “reported rates of recidivism for adult offenders in the United States are extraordinarily high, ranging from 41% to 60%.” Given this rampant recidivism, professionals have tried to determine if literacy can reduce recidivism through literacy or educational correctional programs. Before analyzing the effect of literacy on recidivism, it is important to observe that often educational programs within prisons are synonymous with literacy programs, or have a direct