Recidivism is the return to criminal behavior, and consequently a return to prison, of a former prisoner who has already served in incarceration for a criminal conviction  In the United States, most burglars and common thieves have a recidivist rate above 70%  Studies have shown that, when available, those incarcerated burglars and thieves who pursue post-secondary education while in prison have substantially lower recidivism rates
Ttherefore, the government should fund programs that assist incarcerated burglars and thieves in pursuing higher education, especially since
higher educational level provides wider job opportunities, and according to studies, poverty is one of the chief causes of recidivism.