The Bureau of Justice Statistics reports that only 46 percent of incarcerated individuals have a high school diploma or its equivalent, as compared to 82 percent of men aged 18 to 34. ^[1]   , ^[2]   Significantly, one in six jail inmates reports that he or she dropped out of school because he or she was convicted of a crime, was sent to a correctional facility, or was involved in illegal activities. ^[3]   Nearly 60 percent of black men who are high school dropouts have done time in prison by their mid-30's. ^[4]   About two-thirds of people in prison and jail were employed - either full- or part-time - during the month before they were arrested for their current offense. ^[5]   Despite this relatively high employment rate, research indicates that individual earnings prior to incarceration are low. For example, of those in jail who were employed before their most recent arrest, the median income was less then $1,000 per month. ^[6]