A study of the rate of recidivism of inmates participating in a Regimented Inmate Discipline (RID) program and an Adult Basic Education (ABE) program

The purpose of this study was to determine if there was a difference in the rate of recidivism between students in the Regimented Inmate Discipline (RID) program who passed the General Educational Development (GED) test and students in the Adult Basic Education (ABE) program who passed the General Educational Development (GED) test. This study also encompassed students in the Regimented Inmate Discipline (RID) program who did not pass the General Educational Development (GED) test and students in the Adult Basic Education (ABE) program who did not pass the General Educational Development (GED) test in a state correctional facility.; The population for the study consisted of offenders who were enrolled in the Adult Basic Education (ABE) program at the Mississippi Department of Corrections from 1990 to 2000 and released within this time frame. The random sample for the study consisted of 100 students in the Regimented Inmate Discipline (RID) program and 100 students in the Adult Basic Education (ABE) program Data were obtained from the computer records at the state correctional facility. The nonparametric test of a two dimensional chi-square was used to determine the relationship in the rate of recidivism of students in the Regimented Inmate Discipline (RID) program and students in the Adult Basic Education (ABE) program passing the General Educational Development (GED) test when compared to not passing the General Educational Development (GED) test.; The results of this study show there was a significant difference in the rate of recidivism between the Regimented Inmate Discipline (RID) group passing the General Educational Development (GED) test when compared to the Adult Basic Education (ABE) group passing the General Educational Development (GED) test. There was a significant difference in the rate of recidivism between the Regimented Inmate Discipline (RID) group not passing the General Educational Development (GED) test when compared to the Adult Basic Education (ABE) group not passing the General Educational Development (GED) test. There was a significant difference in the rate of recidivism within the Regimented Inmate Discipline (RID) group passing the General Educational Development (GED) test when compared to those not passing the General Educational Development (GED) test. Also, there was no significant difference in the rate of recidivism within the Adult Basic Education (ABE) group passing the General Educational Development (GED) test when compared to those not passing the General Educational Development (GED) test.