Just over half of all state prisoners participate in educational programs at some point during their incarceration, a proportion that has been decreasing over time. ^[1]   About one-third of prisoners participate in vocational programs at some point during their incarceration. At any given time, however, the percentage of prisoners engaged in educational and vocational programs is far lower than these figures suggest. While all federal prisons, 91 percent of state prisons, 88 percent of private prisons, and 60 percent of jails offer some type of educational program, the relatively low number of available program slots often limits rates of program participation. Demand for programming often exceeds supply, resulting in waiting lists for many programs. ^[2]   In Maryland, 1,500 state inmates were on waiting lists to participate in educational or vocational programming in 2001. ^[3]  

While comparable participation rates are not available for jail inmates, the Bureau of Justice Statistics reports that secondary education classes are most commonly available, offered in 46 percent of jail jurisdictions. ^[4]   Vocational program availability is very limited for jail inmates, with only five percent of jail jurisdictions offering vocational training. Many jail jurisdictions (33 percent) offer no educational or vocational training at all. ^[5]