Chapter 40 Rehabilitation

Objectives Identify the major factors that affect criminal behavior Explain the role of correctional treatment programs in reducing crime Describe common challenges faced by ex- offenders returning to the community

Factors Relating to Criminal Careers Structural factors – Vast majority of crimes are committed by men ages – Only a small proportion of crimes committed each year can be attributed to released prisoners or parolees – Correctional treatment and punishment will have minimal effect on crime rates

Factors Relating to Criminal Careers (cont.) Situational factors – Ability of a former offender to maintain stable employment will significantly reduce that person’s criminal tendencies – Another major factor is maintaining a stable and supportive marriage – States with high rates of violent crime, mental illness, and suicide tend to have high rates of various negative social and economic factors, such as business failures, personal bankruptcies, divorces, abortions, etc.

The Role of Incarceration Neither the number of incarcerations nor the length of incarceration had a direct impact on a person’s criminal career. Incarceration seriously disrupts family relationships and employment stability Historical fluctuations in crime rates and incarceration rates reveal no clear relationship between incarceration rates and crime rates Improving economy, reductions in unemployment and drug use, tighter gun control, deportation of illegal aliens have all reduced crime rates

The Role of Correctional Treatment 1974 publication by Martinson – “nothing works” Other analyses have determined that some treatment interventions can have an impact on recidivism rates Well-designed programs are often the exception Rehabilitation is often not a priority among wardens

The Role of Correctional Treatment (cont.) Federal Bureau of Prisons concluded that work experience and vocational training programs significantly impacted offenders’ ability to successfully reintegrate into the community More likely to be employed upon release and less likely to recidivate BOP also concluded that residential drug abuse treatment has a positive effect on recidivism

Conclusion Among the various forms of rehabilitation programs, interventions that help equip an individual to secure meaningful employment in today’s increasingly competitive economy will be most successful. Given the political atmosphere, it will take more powerful evidence that treatment reduces rates of recidivism and increases public safety to persuade those who favor a more punitive approach

Chapter 41 Reentry

Objectives Understand the concept of reentry and its goals Explore the paradox of corrections as an agent of change Outline possible impediments to reentry and treatment programs

Introduction 93% of all state and federal inmates will eventually return home Studies show that nearly 80% of released prisoners are back behind bars within 10 years of release Success or failure of an inmate’s transition back to his or her home community has many significant effects on public safety and health

Responsibility Many offenders were unemployed prior to arrest, are functionally illiterate, or have some form of mental health problem Most inmates are poorly educated, lack vocational skills, struggle with drug and alcohol abuse, suffer from mental illness Process of helping prepare an inmate to return to society should be a fundamental aspect of the criminal justice system Current model of prison operations is incapacitation, not rehabilitation

Inmate Reentry Programs Reentry – collective impact of all institutional programs and activities that work together to help prepare offenders for a successful return to the community Process should begin upon admission to a prison facility Classification determines what programs may help an inmate prepare for return to the community – outlines participation

Inmate Reentry Programs (cont.) Inmate Programming – Participants who had correction-based education, vocation, and work programs recidivate at a lower rate than non-participants – Therapeutic communities and faith-based programs have a positive effect on inmates Prerelease Activities – Should focus on the issues the individual will have to deal with in the future, such as finding a residence, looking for employment, etc.

Inmate Reentry Programs (cont.) Transition – Should have a prearranged residence and community assistance in terms of seeking employment – Mental health inmates should have a 30 day supply of medication and a prearranged appointment with a community mental health program

Motivation Challenge for correctional staff is to motivate the inmate to prepare for his or her future At least 95% of state prisoners are released at some point Vast majority of incarcerated inmates will engage in self-help programs given the opportunity

Methods of Release Parole – First appeared in US in 1800s – Indeterminate sentencing was once popular, but as society lost faith in rehabilitation, laws shifted toward greater determinacy in sentencing Expiration of sentence – Offenders who complete their term of confinement must be released to their home community or the jurisdiction where they were originally sentenced

Methods of Release (cont.) Halfway House – Most correctional jurisdictions will attempt to place the offender in a halfway house for the last 3-6 months of the term of confinement

Aggravating Factors Many inmates leave correctional facilities with complex social and medical problems Important that correctional authorities target all offenders with program options, especially the more difficult and high-risk group of inmates

Conclusion Tendency for incarceration to make some criminals worse is one of the best-established findings in criminology Policymakers should invest more resources in treating and rehabilitation of offenders while they are incarcerated Reentry planning must commence early and be a guiding principle during confinement