The study considers the postrelease success of 526 offenders enrolled in college, vocational, secondary, and elementary programs while incarcerated in three Wisconsin prisons between 1980 and 1985. Rather than compare college program participants with nonparticipating inmates, offenders involved in vocational, secondary, and elementary programs were selected for comparison groups. A composite index of parole adjustment, providing a comprehensive indicator of societal adjustment, was used rather than relying on recidivism as the sole dependent measure. Although offenders who participated in college programs in prison had significantly lower needs-assessment scores on parole, suggesting fewer adjustment problems, they were also found to have a slightly higher percentage of new convictions, indicating a higher level of recidivism. A comparison of the characteristics of inmates who participated in college programs indicates that blacks and women were under-represented. 6 tables, 5 notes, 54 references. (Author abstract modified)