Teaching trades, not just textbooks: Why North Carolina needs data-driven prison education

By: Elizabeth Carriker, Jon Chavis, Martin Mayer

Outlets: North Carolina Newsline

Published: March 27, 2026

Words: 652

Last Updated: 4 months ago

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It costs the state of North Carolina $40,000 per year to incarcerate each of our nearly 30,000 inmates, and within three years of release, 43% will return to prison. The cost of recidivism numbers in the billions each year.

N.C. invests taxpayer dollars in educational opportunities across our prison system, from adult education/GED classes all the way to technical training like HVAC repair, welding, and commercial driving certifications. Studies show that inmates who …

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