South Dakota Prisons Eye Educational Opportunities For Inmates

Providing more educational opportunities to South Dakota inmates
translates to a lower incidence of re-offending.  That’s what Jennifer Stanwick is finding.  Stanwick is director of education for the department of corrections and deputy warden at Springfield.

In addition to GED and behavioral programming classes, programs for auto body, auto mechanics, welding, construction technology and landscape horticulture courses are available.

More educational possibilities are also being explored to bring additional opportunities.

The benefits of educational opportunities help both the state, and the inmate. A recent study indicated that for every dollar spent on educating adult inmates, it translated into saving five dollars re-incarceration costs.  Further education also boosted post-release employment by twenty-eight percent.

Additional research and planning will continue and be reported to the legislative session next summer.