This report, intended to be a descriptive yet analytical overview of correctional education programs, is organized into six chapters. Chapter one discusses the philosophical aspects (pro and con) of prisoner education. Chapter two traces the history of prisoner education from the roots of its beginning to the present. Chapter three presents the data collected by Syracuse University Research Corporation staff during interviews with correctional and educational authorities, through analysis of documents, and from correspondence and discussions with over 300 individuals who served as resource persons to the staff during the project. Chapter four focuses on prisoner education in the future, its needs, problems and probable accomplishments. Chapter five presents a thorough model for prison authorities to follow in designing prison education programs. Chapter six presents findings, conclusions and recommendations--in the form of what might be considered a "blue print for action" for the Ford Foundation. Included are barriers to prisoner education programs, criteria for successful programs, suggestions in improvements that can or should be made, general and specific recommendations. A Bibliography of over 300 documents appears after chapter six. [Appendixes D and F, an interview schedule and document synopsis, have been deleted from this document for copyright and reproducibility reasons, respectively, as has also been a chart at p. 161, for the latter reason.] (Author/JM)