Correctional education continuity across incarceration and reentry: A narrative review of best practices

Each year, hundreds of thousands of people are released from prisons in the United States, and correctional education is widely used to support successful reentry and reduce recidivism. Although correctional education has been linked to positive outcomes, less is known about what happens to educational participation after release. Many studies examine outcomes such as recidivism and employment, but few examine whether individuals continue their education during reentry or the factors that affect continuity. This narrative review examined 20 studies published between 2005 and 2025. It used thematic narrative synthesis to identify best practices for sustaining educational engagement across the transition from incarceration to reentry and to locate gaps in continuity. The analysis identified four themes: program models, institutional and structural barriers, policy frameworks, and post-release outcomes. It found that postsecondary education was associated with lower recidivism, especially among individuals who completed their programs. Notwithstanding, facility transfers, funding instability, stigma, and financial barriers limited educational continuity. More policy and research attention is needed on the transition from prison to the community, particularly on the factors that support continued educational participation after release.