In 2000 the Center for Urban Studies at Wayne State University received an award to evaluate the implementation and effectiveness of a mid-western state's prisoner education program in reducing the recidivism rates of respondents. As part of this evaluation, researchers held several focus groups with ex-inmates in order to determine how useful the education that they'd received in prison had been in finding and maintaining employment post-release. Ex-inmates were also queried as to whether they felt that the education that they'd received had been beneficial to them in their efforts to remain outside the prison system. Not surprisingly, the groups were divided by race and gender. White males were more likely to perceive college courses in prison as being beneficial, reported a higher level of self esteem post education, more often reported that they had taken courses post release to continue their education and were not likely to perceive barriers to employment post release. Black males reported opposite experiences that are likely reinforced by institutionalized racism that additionally reduces opportunities. Black males reported more value in vocational training that provided a work skill, experienced lower levels of post education self esteem and reported more barriers to finding and maintaining employment. As was expected, given the gender bias in the prison population, the number of females participating was too small to allow us to draw conclusions. However, women participants did raise interesting questions for further research. They reported that training was only available to them for traditionally female occupations, such as office skills and cosmetology. Self-esteem was the largest barrier to employment faced by women post release.