The Washington Statistical Analysis Center, in partnership with the Education Research and Data Center, published a study on the impact of education on jail and prison admissions. This study explored the demographic characteristics of 6 ninth grade cohorts, as well as their educational accomplishments and workforce experiences. The study also touches upon their encounters with the jail system or the Department of Corrections (DOC).
Among other things, the study discovered that, six years after graduation, males were over twice as likely as females to have been booked into jail and almost five time more likely to have been admitted to DOC. In addition, six years after graduation, those who dropped out of high school were nearly five times as likely to have been booked into jail than those who graduated.
The study was supported by a grant awarded to the Statistical Analysis Center by the U.S. Department of Justice. ERDC researchers collaborated on the project, and data for the project was found in ERDC's P-20 longitudinal data warehouse. This longitudinal data system allows researchers to explore the outcomes of state educational programs while also protecting the privacy of Washington students.