Evidence of the effectiveness of adult basic education (ABE) and life skills training programs for offenders in reducing recidivism was assessed for methodological rigor and the direction and size of the effects. Twelve adult basic education and five life skills evaluations were identified and used to draw conclusions about the effectiveness of adult basic education and life skills training programs. Only research that met or exceeded the minimum standard for methodological rigor were included in this review. According to explicit effectiveness criteria, the findings indicate that adult basic education programs show promise for decreasing recidivism. More methodologically rigorous research is needed in this area before definitive conclusions can be drawn. Life skills training focuses on teaching offenders the skills necessary to function in every life. Since adult basic education and life skills programs are some of the most commonly offered types of correctional programs, there is a great need for rigorous outcome evaluations to assess the potential effectiveness of these efforts.