From Corrections Community comes this fact sheet from the National Council on Crime and Delinquency comparing U.S. incarceration rates with other countries: The US incarcerates the largest number of people in the world. The incarceration rate in the US

Corrections 3.0: Innovations in Prisoner Work and Recidivism

Satisfied with mediocrity, policy makers and professionals in corrections continue to “just warehouse” prisoners at costs too high to pay.  In the view of one author, the incarceration of “blacks” and “brown” lawbreakers at higher rates compare to “whites” remains a problem and is costly (see D. Roberts, The Social and Moral Cost of Mass Incarceration of African American Communities, Standford Law Review, 2004).  Marc Mauer’s research at The Sentencing Project, a think tank in Washington, DC, presents a compelling case for disporportionate confinement of African Americans; and, we as a human race must accept some responsibility. When is the criminals debt paid to society?  Is imprisonment (or death) the only acceptable way to repay the debt?  Is retribution in the long-term acceptable and sensible as the only route to justice?  Gendreau (2000), and the “what works” experts argue that a “panaceaphilia” of “quick fix” solutions is a longstanding problem in corrections. After spending billions, even trillions, on incarceration (management and construction) and “warehousing,” a new vision is required. Modern corrections must become immune to the “fartcatcher syndrone” and become optimistic about the benefits of  evidence-based research and knowledge of what works to reduce recidivism and improve ex-offender reentry into society (see Gendreau, 1996; 2000).

What Works?

When will policy makers consider as a priority the prisoner’s return to society and readiness for a successful reentry? The production of goods and services has moved beyond the US borders. Workers must update their employability skills to remain competive in the labor market. The traditional model of work has changed since the 1940s so that the US business can be competitive in the global flat (or 3.0) world. The Urban Institute reports that a million incarcerated males costs about X to GDP; and, Petersilia (2004), What Works in Prisoner Reentry?acknowledges that releasing thousands of prisoners per year is not new, but supervision services are “strecthed beyond limits,” having an adverse impact on ex-offender postrelease success. Garth-Lewis (1993), research found work, especially marketable job skills training, invaluable and with vocational rehabilitation and education, provide a framework to improve inmate “work effort,” self-esteem and can reduce recidivism and improve reentry (Garner, 1985; Cogburn, 1988; Hall, 1990). This paper provides a discussion of innovations in prisoner work; highlights characteristics of  Joint Ventures; proposes a Joint Venture Accountability Model as a framework to improve ex-offender reentry and reduce recidivism.      

Great!

Global need and solution.