Frontier College meets Community Justice Society.

Link between Crime and Literacy

Robert S. Wright, MSW, RSW20120228

www.robertswright.ca

Frontier College meets Community Justice Society

If You Can Read This . . . :Linking Literacy, Crime, Health, and

Injury Among Children and Youth

5th Atlantic Summer Institute

on Healthy and Safe Communities

[August 28, 2008]

Robert S. Wright, MSW, RSWExecutive Director, Child and Youth Strategy

Nova Scotia

[email protected]

If you can read this

You can read

If you can read this (likely)

Your parents could read

If you can read this (likely)

You’re not poor

If you can read this (likely)

You’re healthy

If you can read this (likely)

You haven’t suffered a TBI

If you can read this (likely)

You’re not in jail

Population Data Difficult

Education is noted as a social determinant of health, but population links difficult to access

Prison populations generally have lower educational attainment than gen. pop. (51% hsc vs. 76% hsc – Hendricks, Hendricks & Kauffman, 2001)

Education attainment among offenders correlates to less functional literacy than in gen. pop.

The Link in the Literature

CSC Study in 1992 reviewed the literature on ABE and recidivism (Porpino & Robinson, 1992)

Of 7 studies reviewed 4 indicated a link between BEP and reduced recidivism (all 3 of the most rigorous studies showed a positive effect)

Their own study showed strong link

Figure 2 - Readmission Rates of ABE Participants*

* p < .001

The Links Continued

Recidivism inversely related to education (reductions of 20% are suggested)

Post-release employment positively related to education participation and achievement

Some Confounding Issues

Literacy/education attainment not related to severity of crimes at admission

Education effect on recidivism highest among lowest educated inmates (adult and juvenile) (Isom, 2005)

My Speculations

Literacy/education crime link highest among persons whose criminal behaviour is related to “lack of opportunity” (those who suffer from conradblackitis unlikely to benefit from education)

Link is likely complex intersection of family literacy, social, self-efficacy and other literacy correlates

Some Challenges

Juvenile and young adult offenders likely to receive short sentences and little correctional education programming

Juvenile offenders often have fragile attachment to PSP

PSP demands distract from functional literacy imperative

Literacy: A Proposition

Illiteracy is a complex social problem both in cause and effect

A complex constellation of various developmental, personal, familial, neighbourhood, community, social and political factors must serendipitously come together to create the conditions that result in literacy skills

The Opportunity

New models of collaboration among government and community stakeholders must be developed to ensure (not promote) a literate populace

Focus on high risk and at-risk populations a great place to start – such as youth under some form of correctional intervention

Joey’s Story

If You Can Read This . . .

A bumper sticker campaign won’t get us there

Link between Crime and Literacy

Robert S. Wright, MSW, RSW20120228

www.robertswright.ca

Frontier College meets Community Justice Society