A r c h i v e d  I n f o r m a t i o n

Using Correctional Education Data: Issues and Strategies, January 1997

Pennsylvania Department of Corrections

SCI Mercer Education Profile

Inmate Population by Offense
Offense Number % of Total
Part I 325 33.7%
Part II 279 29.0%
Parole Violators 360 37.4%

Part I: Murder, manslaughter, homicide by vehicle, forcible rape, robbery, aggravated assault, burglary, theft/larceny, and arson.

Part II: Other assaults, forgery, fraud, receiving stolen property, weapons, drunken driving, prison breach, kidnapping, statutory rape, deviate sexual intercourse, other sex offenses, narcotic drug laws, and others.

 

Inmate Population by Custody Level
Custody Level Number % of Total
L1 22 2.3%
L2 570 59.1%
L3 152 15.8%
L4 17 1.8%
L5 1 0.1%
Not Classified 202 20.9%

 

Age Profile
Age Number % of Total
Under 18 0 0.0%
18-20 3 0.3%
21-24 60 6.2%
25-29 171 17.7%
30-34 203 21.1%
35-39 184 19.1%
40-44 148 15.4%
45-49 93 9.7%
50-54 50 5.2%
55-59 29 3.0%
60-64 13 1.3%
65 and Over 10 1.0%
Unknown 0 0.0%
Average Age 36  

 

Race Profile
Race Number % of Total
Asian 1 0.1%
Black 414 43.0%
Hispanic 57 5.9%
Indian 2 0.2%
White 487 50.5%
Other 3 0.3%

 

Inmate Population by
Minimum Sentence Length
Minimum
Sentence Length		 Number % of Total
Under 1 115 11.9%
1-2 265 27.5%
2-3 196 20.3%
3-5 271 28.1%
5-10 93 9.7%
10-20 24 2.5%
Over 20 0 0.0%
Life 0 0.0%
Execution 0 0.0%
Unknown 0 0.0%

Total                                                       964

Average Sentence Length                                                 41.11

 

Inmate Population by
Maximum Sentence Length
Maximum
Sentence Length		 Number % of Total
Under 2 0 0.0%
2 Only 32 3.3%
2-5 308 32.0%
5-10 438 45.4%
10-20 154 16.0%
20-30 20 2.1%
30-40 10 1.0%
40-50 2 0.2%
Over 50 0 0.0%
Life 0 0.0%
Execution 0 0.0%
Unknown 0 0.0%

Total                                                       964

Average Sentence Length                                                 106.56

Inmate Grade Completed

Grade Completed

Number

% of Total
Grade 1-4 6 0.9%
Grade 5-7 22 3.2%
Grade 8-12 590 85.7%
Over Grade 12 70 10.2%

 

Inmate WRAT Scores - Reading

Reading WRAT Scores

Number

% of Total
Under Grade 5 136 23.2%
Grade 5-7 136 23.2%
Grade 8-12 311 53.1%
Over Grade 12 3 0.5%

 

Inmate WRAT Scores - Math

Math WRAT Scores

Number

% of Total
Under Grade 5 129 19.1%
Grade 5-7 305 45.1%
Grade 8-12 241 35.7%
Over Grade 12 1 0.1%

 

Inmate WRAT Scores - Spelling

Spelling WRAT Scores

Number

% of Total
Under Grade 5 242 37.5%
Grade 5-7 187 29.0%
Grade 8-12 215 33.3%
Over Grade 12 1 0.2%

 

Inmate Educational Needs

Educational Needs

Number

% of Total
High School and/or Beyond 528 67.3%
Grade 8+ (Did not Graduate) 228 29.1%
Grade 4-7 21 2.7%
Grade 1-3 5 0.6%
Special Education 2 0.3%

 

Inmate IQ Scores

IQ Scores

Number

% of Total
0-50 0 0.0%
51-60 14 2.0%
61-70 19 2.8%
71-80 87 12.7%
81-90 181 26.4%
91-100

161

23.5%
101-110 144 21.0%
111-120 65 9.5%
121-129 14 2.0%
130 & Over 1 0.1%

 

Inmate Drug/Alcohol Needs

Drug/Alcohol Needs

Number

% of Total
No Substance Abuse 146 18.6%
Needs Educational Programming 169 21.6%
Needs Self-Help 80 10.2%
Needs Individual Counseling 185 23.6%
Needs Therapeutic Community 204 26.0%

 

Inmate Vocational Needs

Vocational

Number

% of Total
No Skills 18 2.3%
Unskilled Laborer 411 52.4%
Semi-Skilled Laborer 228 29.1%
Skilled Worker 105 13.4%
Skilled Certification 22 2.8%

 

Inmate Problem Areas

Problem Areas

Number

% of Total
Alcohol 378 59.1%
Assault 37 5.8%
Drug 168 26.3%
Escape 2 0.3%
Psychological 2 0.3%
Sex 51 8.0%
Suicide 2 0.3%

Data Source: PA Dept. of Corrections Inmate Records System & Pennsylvania Addictive Classification Tool, February 29, 1996.

Data: Grade Completed, WRAT Scores, & Inmate IQ data based on reported cases.

Prepared by: Lisa Matteson — PA Department of Corrections, Office of Planning, Research, and Statistics


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