Recent studies on correctional education point to the value of such programs in helping to train and rehabilitate those inmates disposed to such opportunities. Because of their vocational curricula and community service orientation, community colleges are in an ideal position to educate prison inmates. While in 1965, only 12 correctional education programs were in operation, by 1982 at least 350 functioning programs were reported. Three-quarters of these programs are sponsored by community colleges, which provide courses that range from basic math and reading to vocational instruction. Over 80% of the programs are held inside of the prisons, and most are staffed by part-time faculty. Recent studies have shown that prison programs have produced positive behavioral changes, improved math and verbal skills among student inmates, and may account for a decrease in the recidivism rate of inmates who receive vocational training. Along with such benefits, prison programs also encounter problems including an unstable financial base, inadequate coordination and articulation among prisons, interagency and interpersonal conflicts, and high faculty turnover. In many cases, faculty are unprepared for the significant differences in the environment and their roles between regular classroom instruction and prison instructors, and many burn out quickly. Important characteristics for correctional program teachers include good listening skills, the ability to curb their own aggressive behavior, the capacity to work effectively in a relaxed classroom atmosphere, and the ability to work one-on-one with students. (GFW)