The Department of Corrections (DOC) has identified the lack of education credentials as a key factor in reoffending. In other words, inmates with a high school diploma are less likely to reoffend upon release as compared to inmates without a high school diploma. On the average, 80 percent of the inmates without a high-school degree reoffend as compared to 40 percent of inmates with a degree.

Programmers at DOC have identified two model programs:

• The first program is called Education First; the outcome of the program is passing the high-school equivalency examination. This program has undergone extensive outcome evaluations, and the success rate is figured to be 50 percent, which means that 50 percent of the inmates are successful in passing the high-school equivalency examination.
• The second program is General Education Development Preparatory program (GED Prep). The outcome of this program is also passing the high-school equivalency examination. The success rate of this program is identified as 80 percent, which means that 80 percent of the inmates that take this program are successful in passing the high-school equivalency examination.

The first program, Education First, costs $500 per pupil, and the second program, GED Prep, costs $5000 per pupil. Currently, the cost of incarceration is $32,000 per year.

Since the DOC has experienced decreasing budgets over the past 20 years, cost of programs is a very real concern.

Which of the two—Education First or the GED Prep program should be adopted? Why? Analyze the scenario and the programs and provide a logical justification for your answer considering:

• The quality of the programs
• The goal(s) and objective(s) of the programs
• The policies’ design
• The success rate of the programs
• The cost considerations