Corrections Community

Read the article, "Prisoner Recidivism - a genuine solution to an American Epidemic" at: http://web.me.com/davidjkoch/davidjkoch/Daves_Blog/Daves_Blog.html

David, The jury is still out on this one. Some studies seem to indicate that the more education an inmate is given access to completing, the less likely he is to be recidivist. Some studies seem to indicate that allowing an inmate access to completing at least a two year accredited and marketable technical degree would put him or her into the 1 out of 10 chance of being recidivist category. And helping an inmate to maintain strong family ties while incarcerated is certainly a plus. But I am loathe to use the term "rehabilitation". It seems that, every ten years or so, another "scheme" is initiated as a "fool-proof" way to bring down or end recidivism. It is my experience (over 24 years in this field), that it is the inmate that must do the self-change. We only keep open the opportunity to the inmate for this self-change.

Indeed, you have hit the nail on the head. Rehabilitation exists only within the individual, and no place else in the universe. The Genesis of rehabilitation is the desire. Without the desire, we could educate an individual to the level of doctorate degree with a curriculum designed by the finest Ivy League colleges, and it would be an exercise in futility. The fundamental prerequisite of desire must be present. Additionally, education is not synonymous with fundamental honesty - just look at Wall Street. I also agree with your comment regarding the schemes that claim to be the silver bullet to recidivism. Actually, what I have seen in the reentry field is a whole lot of the same, dysfunctional programs that have resulted in the current recidivism statistics, re-packaged, re-labeled and re-sold. Reentry has become big business. Recidivism will only be successfully addressed by a constituency of individuals who are the problem becoming their own solution, and it must incorporate the financial mechanisms where the solution becomes self-funding. Current programs that are facilitated by non-profit organizations that receive their funding from charitable donations and grants have many flaws, and it has really not effectively addressed reentry and recidivism. That all being said, IF, I say, IF, an individual genuinely wants to form a new life-path, they certainly can, and education is clearly a catalyst that can assist them in achieving their goals.