There is no conflict of interest.
Citation
Darolia, R., Mueser, P., & Cronin, J. (2020). Labor Market Returns to a Prison GED. IZA Discussion Papers, No. 13534.
Highlights
- The study's objective was to examine the impact of GED completion during incarceration on post-release employment and earnings.
- The study used a nonexperimental design to compare the outcomes of GED completers to a matched comparison group of non-completers (those who either failed or did not attempt a GED while incarcerated). Using administrative data from the Missouri Department of Corrections and the Missouri Department of Labor and Industrial Relations, the authors conducted statistical models to compare differences in outcomes between the groups.
- The study found that GED completers had significantly higher short-term earnings and employment rates than non-completers.
- This study receives a moderate evidence rating. This means we are somewhat confident that the estimated effects are attributable to GED completion during incarceration, but other factors might also have contributed.
Features of the Study
The study used a nonexperimental design to compare the employment and earnings outcomes of individuals who received a GED while incarcerated to those who did not receive a GED. The study sample included 108,029 male prisoners, aged 18-65, released from incarceration in Missouri. The treatment group included 27,348 men who completed a GED during their incarceration. The comparison group included 2,394 men who did not pass the GED exam and 78,287 men who did not attempt to complete the GED while incarcerated. The authors matched the treatment group members to comparison group members on demographic and incarceration characteristics, as well as pre-incarceration labor outcomes. Data sources included administrative data from the Missouri Department of Corrections and the Missouri Department of Labor and Industrial Relations. The authors compared the outcomes of GED completers to non-completers using statistical models.
Findings
Earnings and wages
- The study found a significant impact of GED completion on short-term earnings, with higher earnings among treatment group members in the first two quarters after release. No other significant differences were found.
- The study found that Black men in the treatment group had significantly higher post-release earnings than Black men in the comparison group. The study also found that White men in the treatment group had significantly higher post-release earnings than White men in the comparison group.
Employment
- The study found a significant impact of GED completion on short-term employment, with higher rates of employment among treatment group members in the first two quarters after release. No other significant differences were found.
- The study found that Black men in the treatment group had significantly higher post-release employment rates than Black men in the comparison group. The study also found that White men in the treatment group had significantly higher post-release employment rates than White men in the comparison group.
Causal Evidence Rating
The quality of causal evidence presented in this report is moderate because it was based on a well-implemented nonexperimental design. This means we are somewhat confident that the estimated effects are attributable to GED completion during incarceration, but other factors might also have contributed.