The Transition of an Offender from Jail into the Community...

Many would say that offenders are hopeless and if one looks at the rate of recidivism, one would definitely think that our nation’s offenders are indeed hopeless. However, what if there was a way to reduce the rate of recidivism and at the same time rehabilitate offenders in order to make them functioning members of the community? Reentry programs that are implemented correctly cannot only reduce the rate of recidivism but at the same time help to rehabilitate an offender through education, treatment, and therapy. The Second Chance At is a law that went into effect April 29, 2008 (P.L. 110-199) and it allows government agencies to provide services to offenders that will help to reduce the rate of recidivism as well as improve the†¦show more content†¦One of the main barriers that inmates face when they are released from prison is limited cognitive skills, limited education and work experience, and substance abuse or other mental health problems. Substance abuse an d other mental health problems limit employability because it limits the job readiness that is required for employment (Holzer, Raphael Stoll, 2003). Another issue that is faced when inmates are released into society is that any skills that they did have prior to conviction has diminished greatly and they face lower pay due to their diminished or lack of skills, and the attitudes that have been developed during their time in prison deeply affects their attitude during their search for employment. Offenders also face another barrier when searching for employment. Many businesses can be held legally liable for any criminal action that their employees may cause (Holzer, Raphael Stoll, 2003). These barriers that offenders face upon release is why solid solutions and planning must be implemented when considering the integration of ex-felons into society and preparation for reentry must begin well before the scheduled release date in order to successfully reintegrate an inmate into society and reduce the rate of recidivism. Many offenders will be released from prison and yet approximately 60% will return for violating the law (Beard, Johnson, Kemp, 2003). An inmate that has an education equivalent to aShow MoreRelatedShould Offenders Be A Effective Transition Into Society?1148 Words   |  5 Pagesthan 700,000 offenders are released from state and federal prisons every year with over two-thirds returning to jail within three years of their release. Reentry programs are created to aid offenders that are incarcerated make an effective transition into society once they are released. Reentrance into ones community from a stay in jail or prison is a difficult transition for most offenders, not to mention for their family and even the community. There are many trials for these offender, such as beingRead MoreAn Offender Reentry Plan Will Keep the Citizens of Hawaii Safer.1709 Words   |  7 Pagesoverseeing the management of jails and prisons. Part of its role i s to fulfill its mission of implementing a successful offender reentry program for all incarcerated offenders. This mission is mandated by the Hawaii State Senate Bill 932, Act 8 (Nakaso Kayton, 2007). The approval of this legislature was made in order to alleviate the problem of recidivism and stop the â€Å"swinging door effect.† The â€Å"swinging door effect† is defined as the repeated return of offenders into incarceration within a shortRead MoreCommunity Justice1172 Words   |  5 PagesIs Community Justice a Factor in Traditional Correctional Functions? LaShawn McNair Professor Herbeck Criminal Justice and the Community April 15, 2012 When we hear the word corrections, most of us tend to think of a jail or prison. It is popularly believed that the function of corrections is merely to lock criminals up. Most of us don’t associate corrections with the community. The objective of my essay is to show the correlation between traditional correctional functions and communityRead More Models of Corrections Essay1250 Words   |  5 Pagesprompts: 1. What is the community model of corrections? 2. What is the crime control model of corrections? 3. What are the differences between prisons and jails? 4. What is your opinion about the constitutional rights of prisoners? 1. What is the community model of corrections? This model of corrections main purpose was to reintroducing the offenders in to the community. This Program was invented to help offenders in the transition from jail to the community, aid in the processes ofRead MoreWeek1 PBSfilm Essay1369 Words   |  6 Pagesso many people are diagnosed with mental illness in the criminal justice system? Why do you think so many offenders in the criminal justice system suffer from mental illness? I believe so many are diagnosed with mental illness in the criminal justice system due to their repetitive actions of law breaking. In the beginning, these offenders are unaware a mental illness exists. So many offenders have pre-existing mental illnesses which are untreated; others may acquire a mental illness while incarceratedRead MoreThe For A Parole Program993 Words   |  4 Pagesinto a program where offenders are released into the community with resources to help the offender reduce their chance of recidivating. Barton – Bellessa and Hanser said, â€Å"The true purpose of community correction [was] to reform those offenders who showed sufficient motivation and likelihood of being reformed (pgs. 441 and 443)†. Instead, in the past ten years, parole has been used to reduce overcrowding in prison instead of reintegrating the offender back into the community. For three decades paroleRead MoreRehabilitation Over Incarceration : Persuasive Speech1736 Words   |  7 Pagesof this institution on the state and inmate recidivism while simultaneously reviving our communities left ruined by this often racist and unfair institution. Central Idea: To rework the legal and economic infrastructure of the currently broken U.S prison system by providing appropriate justice and funding to programs that actually work. In doing so we will be able to pursue justice, protect our communities, properly rehabilitate prisoners, mend broken families and save the state money all at theRead MoreA Interview With Officer Williams1445 Words   |  6 Pages During my interview with Officer Williams I asked him several questions. Most of the questions we had gone through had already been discussed in correctional treatment class. We just went a little more into depth and I got responses from other officers as well. I learned that Correctional facilities in the eye of the criminal justice system are unlike any other work settings because of the unforeseeable nature of the environment that has to do with the inmates and individuals that have to work inRead MoreRehab Paper1529 Words   |  7 Pagesagreement ordered by the Commission. The decision of the Commission to parole an inmate shall stand for an act of grace of the State and should not be considered a right. Probation is a period of supervision in the community imposed by the court as an alternative to imprisonment. These offenders are supervised by the Department of Corrections. While on probation, a condition of the sentence may be to have weekly or monthly meetings with a probati on officer. Other conditions might be applied to probationRead MoreThe Goals Of Criminal Sanction1253 Words   |  6 Pagesdiscretion in fashioning sentences for factors of the crime, the offenders aggravating circumstances. They sentence people by their attitude, what they did before the court date and the value of the judges. The system may treat wrongdoers unequally because of racial discrimination.   Ã‚  Ã‚   Over the years, the United States have developed mechanisms that institute and apply the rules of society as well as give responsibility and punish offenders. Today, those functions are carried out by the police, courts