Newspaper editorial:

In an attempt to reduce the crime rate, the governor is getting tough on criminals and making prison conditions harsher. Part of this effort has been to deny inmates the access they formerly had to college-level courses. However, this action is clearly counter to the governor’s ultimate goal, since after being released form prison, inmates who had taken such courses committed far fewer crimes overall than other inmates.

Which of the following is an assumption on which the argument depends?

A. Not being able to take college-level courses while in prison is unlikely to deter anyone from a crime that he or she might otherwise have committed.
B. Former inmates are no more likely to commit crimes than are members of the general population.
C. The group of inmates who chose to take college-level courses were not already less likely than other inmates to commit crimes after being released.
D. Taking high school level courses in prison has less effect on an inmate’s subsequent behavior than taking college-level courses does.
E. The governor’s ultimate goal actually is to gain popularity by convincing people that something effective is being done about crime.

C for me as well

Premises
1) Govenor is attempting to reduce crime rate
2) Governor is getting tough on criminals and making prison conditions harsher
3) Part of effort is to deny inmates access to college level courses
4) Inmates who take college level course commit fewer crimes than other inmates upon release

Conclusion: Therefore, denying college level courses to inmates is counter to governor's goal of reducing crime rate

We need an answer that supports this conclusion.

Which of the following is an assumption on which the argument depends?

A. Not being able to take college-level courses while in prison is unlikely to deter anyone from a crime that he or she might otherwise have committed.
- Negating this assumption gives us "Being able to take college level course while in prison is likely to deter anyone from a crime that he or she might otherwise commit".

B. Former inmates are no more likely to commit crimes than are members of the general population.
- Out of scope.

C. The group of inmates who chose to take college-level courses were not already less likely than other inmates to commit crimes after being released.
- Negating this gives us "The group of inmates who chose not to take college level course were more likely than other inmates to commit crimes after release".

D. Taking high school level courses in prison has less effect on an inmate’s subsequent behavior than taking college-level courses does.
- no mention of high school level courses anywhere in the stimulus

E. The governor’s ultimate goal actually is to gain popularity by convincing people that something effective is being done about crime.
- out of scope

Between A and C, C is a better choice since it compares inmates that take college level course and inmates that don't.