The state spends a considerable amount of its non-custody dollars annually to provide educational programming in camps and prisons. The purpose is to provide offenders with the opportunity to gain academic, social and work skills to become productive while in prison and when released.

The department provides Adult Basic Education (ABE) and General Education Development (GED) courses at all prisons; six of the 12 camps (including the state's boot camp) also offer ABE and GED.

The department overhauled its educational system in 1995, retooling its educational programs with an eye toward ensuring that all prisoners, with some exceptions, earn a high school degree or its equivalent before parole or discharge from parole. As a result, the number of prisoners earning GEDs has steadily increased. By department policy and with some exceptions, GED completion is required for parole or discharge from parole.

The state does not pay for college classes for prisoners, but they are able to take correspondence courses at their own expense.

Prisoners are also given opportunities to learn an industry-approved trade at most facilities after they have obtained a GED. The department believes a prisoner's completion of at least the core of a standardized program and national or state recognized certification increases his or her opportunity to find a job upon entry into society.

Presently, there are 13 trades taught in the prison system by over 100 highly qualified instructors. Prisoners can learn to work in the following areas: horticulture, custodial maintenance technology, business education technology, building trades, food service management, automobile mechanics, visual graphics technology and optical technician work.