City prisoners' low reading and math levels surprise officials

A test of reading skills among inmates in Philadelphia's prison system yielded some worse news than expected: About 25 percent to 30 percent of prisoners read at a second- or third-grade level.

The average reading level was at a fourth-grade mark, but city Prisons Commissioner Louis Giorla said he had previously assumed that the average was between a sixth- and eighth-grade level.

"That was surprising," Giorla said of the results, which he shared Tuesday with members of the Criminal Justice Advisory Board. The board includes representatives from city agencies, including the Police Department, court system, and District Attorney's Office, that deal with criminal-justice matters.

With crowding issues dwindling as the prison population shrinks - a count that nearly three years ago was approaching 10,000 has dipped to under 8,000 - officials said they were refocusing attention on education and other areas key to helping inmates stay out of jail after their release.

The test of 271 inmates was conducted in September.

Overall, the inmates showed higher proficiency when it came to math, with average math skills at a fifth-grade level.

Nonetheless, the low skills in both math and reading "give us an idea of what we're up against," Giorla said. He added that previously about 50 percent of inmates had indicated they had a high school diploma or a GED - a statistic he now believes is "a fallacy."

The results suggest the prison system may have to revamp its education programs, which currently focus largely on helping inmates earn or work toward high school diplomas, or the equivalent.

Everett Gillison, deputy mayor for public safety and cochair of the advisory board, said he may seek funding to provide more educational programs from a donor who gave money recently to the city office overseeing reintegration services for ex-offenders. He did not identify the donor, or how much money the donor gave.

Gillison is also seeking help from Arthur Evans, who directs the city's Department of Behavioral Health and Mental Retardation Services. Evans, who was at the meeting, said additional tests needed to be done to determine whether inmates had learning disabilities.

"Are you thinking these people are cognitively impaired," Evans asked Gillison, who replied he thought that may be the case.

Common Pleas Court President Judge Pamela Pryor Dembe, who cochairs the advisory board with Evans, added: "Well, if not, we have to blow up the whole school system."