Logan Lee Awarded Grant from Arnold Ventures for Research on In-Prison Education Outcomes

Logan Lee, associate professor of economics, has been awarded a grant of $50,545 from Arnold Ventures to conduct a research project aimed at understanding the effects of in-prison education on various outcomes for incarcerated individuals. 

Professor Lee's research will explore how educational programs within prisons influence in-prison behavior, rates of reincarceration, and post-release education and employment opportunities.  

Joining Professor Lee in this endeavor is Romaine Campbell, a postdoctoral researcher at Cornell University. Together, they will utilize comprehensive data from the Iowa Department of Corrections, the Iowa Department of Education, Iowa Works, and Grinnell's Liberal Arts in Prison Program. The collaboration aims to address and mitigate common research challenges, such as selection bias, by employing a robust analytical framework to evaluate the impacts of different types of educational programs—ranging from remedial education to liberal arts courses and job training programs. 

Lee shared, "This support from Arnold Ventures will allow Romaine and I to work together on the project over the summer in Grinnell. We have both taught prison courses, and we are excited about this opportunity to study the impacts of education in prison."  

The timing of this research is particularly pertinent given the recent expansion of Pell grant eligibility, which since 2015 has gradually extended to include a subset of prison programs and, as of 2023, encompasses all programs attended by eligible incarcerated students. This policy shift is expected to spur further growth in prison education programs, underscoring the need for informed insights into their effectiveness. 

The outcomes of Professor Lee and Campbell's research will be disseminated through a peer-reviewed academic article and policy briefs directed at the Iowa Departments of Corrections and Education. These findings are anticipated to make significant contributions to the academic literature and inform policy decisions regarding prison education both within Iowa and on a broader scale. 

Please join us in congratulating Lee on this impressive achievement!