Exonerees And Social Work

The United States prison system struggles eminently with keeping offenders out of prison after being released. According to the Bureau of Justice Statistics, more than third of all prisoners who were arrested within five years of released were arrested within six months after release, with more than half arrested by the end of the year (Hughes, Wilson, & Beck, 2001). Among prisoners released in 2005 in 23 states with available data on inmates returned to prison, about half (55 percent) had either a parole or probation violation or an arrest for a new offense within three years that led to imprisonment (Durose, Cooper, & Snyder, 2014). Why are there many ex-offenders going back to prison within the first five years of release? Are there not enough resources to help offenders before or/and after being released from prison.

Society has often struggled with how to help prisoners once they are released back into civilization. The number of prisoners in the American prison population has grown considerably in the last couple of decades. For many prisoners the process of arrest, incarceration and release is a continuous cycle, there is very little hope of them living in civilization for a long period of time. There is also a high a retention rate of the returning offenders. A large portion of these prisoners are minorities of African Americans and Hispanics face more time in jail or prison is extremely high. The success rate of offenders is measured by how long one can avoid being incarcerated and not by being reintegrated into civilization. These issues have become a national crisis in Joan Petersilia book titled “When Prisoners come home: Parole and prisoner reentry,” she address these issues head on. The main purpose of this book focuses on how to help prisoners once they have been released out of prison. Petersilia gives efforts for future reform to alter the in prison experience, change prison release, revocation practices, revise post prison services and supervision as well as a working with the community to enhance informal social control. These are efforts that represent a better policy towards reform of prisoners and re-entry in the system. The book goes into great detail about the suggestions Petersilia makes and why it is necessary for change.

Corrections have existed throughout society for many years and continued to change and evolve in the United States reflecting society’s values and ideals throughout the centuries. In the criminal justice system, corrections exist in more than one form. Not only do corrections refer to jails and prison systems but they also pertain to community-based programs, such as probation, parole, halfway houses, and treatment facilities. Past, present, and future trends in regard to the development and operation of institutional and community-based corrections vary between states but corrections have grown immensely since the early 1800s and have continued to expand

"Local faith-based and community organizations (FBCO) reentry programs can provide ex-prisoners with the compassion and services they need to thrive in the communities they are returning to. Placing ex-prisoners in steady employment that matches their abilities and needs is an important effort that helps ensure the safety of America’s streets and the successful integration of ex-prisoners into America’s communities. Recidivism is a vicious cycle of crime, prison, more crime, re-imprisonment, and so on. Statistics show that more than two-thirds of released prisoners will be charged with new crimes within three years following their release, and over half will be reincarcerated. According to criminal justice experts, an attachment to the labor force through stable employment, in concert with family and community

America sends more of its citizens to prison than any other country in the world. The United States, though only five percent of the world’s population, incarcerate 25 percent of the world’s prisoners. America is supposed to be the land of the free, not the land of the incarcerated. About 6,937,600 offenders were under the supervision of adult correctional systems at year end 2012. Around two-thirds of the prison population which is released annually (637,400) will recidivate within the first three years of release (Glaze, 2013). The prisoner re-entry programs that are currently in place are clearly ineffective and insufficient. A reallocation of the budget is the first step towards fixing our re-entry programs. Once the budget is under control, the government needs to have a complete overhaul of system. There are many prisoner re-entry programs that have shown promise which means there is already a blueprint to success available.

Overall, Post Incarceration Syndrome (PICS) is just one of the many mental health problems that comes as a result of traumatic experiences that have or will happen while incarcerated. Gorski (n.d.) also indicated that PICS is a contributing factor to the high rate of recidivism. This is why it is believed more should be done to prevent current and future offenders from suffering. Liem and Kunst (2013) believe that “recognizing the post-incarceration syndrome in the DSM-V as a subtype of PTSD may allow for more adequate recognition of the effects of incarceration” (p.337). In the next topic discussed we will be taking a look at the causes and effects that incarceration has on individuals’ mental health.

Prison Education Project (PEP) was created by Dr. Renford Reese in 2011 to provide currently incarcerated inmates with an opportunity to be reeducated and properly equipped to return back to society. Yet an important question is raised as to why such a program was needed in the first place. It is no surprise that California demonstrated a failed and poor criminal justice system. According to E. Ann Carson and Daniela Golinelli, California incarcerated more adults in prison than any other state in the U.S. prisons in the state were ridiculous crowed. Many reports indicated that the state failed to supervise parolee’s effectively; a 2003 report found that 70 percent of the state’s parole population returned to prison within 18 months of release, which was calculated to cost the state nearly $1 billion per year (Little Hoover Commission, 2003).

The stigma of incarceration follows the released individual, even though they have served their time and, generally, prompts people to perceive the individual through a negative lens. In fact, it has become generally understood that individuals in any stigmatized group are viewed as of lesser value and their person, discredited, resulting in further social exclusion. This invisible punishment leads formerly incarcerated individuals to experience ostracism and alienation from the community, instead of support. As individuals begin to feel more shame, their self-esteem lowers and the alienation can have a dehumanizing effect. These negative experiences have the power to shift a once positive mindset, aimed towards successful reentry, to a negative one where individuals begin to exhibit behaviors of silence and concealment. One commentator aptly observed that, “the status as ex-offender is only one part of a person’s identify, yet it can become the most prominent defining characteristics for representing self.” The effects of being in a stigmatized group, however, are not limited to the formerly incarcerated individual alone. These perceptions can trickle over into how the family is perceived.

When facing discrimination in housing, jobs and overall welfare, there are little opportunities given to people recently released from prison. This causes them to go back to the life of crime, and ultimately back in prison. This features as an effect of mass incarceration and works to fuel it. According to the Bureau of Justice statistics, “ 2 out of every 3 prisoners released will be rearrested within 3 years and nearly half of those released from prison will be incarcerated again within 3 years”(Dennis Madden 14). This effect of mass incarceration limits ex-cons from reaching any pursuits and keeps them trapped in a system that continues to disadvantage them. Craig Nissan elaborates on the severity of this issue, saying, “[Ex-convicts] are labelled for life as felons, who will face forever discrimination in seeking essentials like employment and housing, basic to building a good life. Moreover, many face a life of monitoring as ex-cons and the loss of many civil rights, including the right to vote”(205). These people turn into victims of our society and lack any chances to reach

About ninety-three percent of all people incarcerated are released eventually. Within three years, seventy percent of those released will be rearrested. states that inmates fail to successfully reenter society because of mental health issues, substance abuse, past criminal acts, total education level, economic standing, among other things. One an inmate is out they should have been rehabilitated in every way possible. They should be ready to enter a world that has evolved with no mercy towards them. Reentry in communities are determined by the amount of opportunity offered by the community itself. For example, the obtainability of housing, drug abuse treatment programs, health services, schooling and hiring opportunities are crucial for integration. One of the

In an article by Leslie Scott he mentions those who are wrongly convicted and released “ struggle to reintegrate into society, reclaim normality, and carve out a stable existence. They return to society only to face poverty, employment discrimination, societal discrimination, and broken relationships” (2). As a result they can feel hopeless to the point where, for example in the article it mentions that Ronald

The growing number of individuals exiting prison each year has prompted renewed interest among academics and policymakers in the challenges of reintegrating former prisoners into society (Visher & Travis, 2003). The challenges of reentry appears to be daunting, as the prospects for successful reentry are often dim. More than 40 percent of those released return to prison within three years, a phenomenon known as the “revolving door” (Pew Center on the States, 2011). This “revolving door” is a

Some prisoners are plagued with Post Incarceration Syndrome, a combination of psychological problems. These problems are institutionalized and antisocial personality traits, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder,

While dedicated research on the subject of psychological damage as a result of imprisonment is surprisingly sparse there are a few articles that touch on the subject. Prison is a ripe case study for many Psychology scholars due to its inherently insular nature and varied subcultures. Researchers have noticed frightening trends among inmates such as increased aggression, impairment of executive functions, and increased development of psychosomatic disorders.

(Justice, 2014)Bureau of Justice Statistics studies have found high rates of recidivism among released prisoners. One study tracked 404,638 prisoners in 30 states after their release from prison in 2005. The researchers found that: Within three years of release, about two-thirds (67.8 percent) of released prisoners were rearrested. Within five years of release, about three-quarters (76.6 percent) of released prisoners were rearrested (News, 2014). Of those prisoners who were rearrested, more than half (56.7 percent) were arrested by the end of the first year (Justice, 2014). (Durose, April 2014) Property offenders were the most likely to be rearrested, with 82.1 percent of released property offenders arrested for a new crime compared with 76.9 percent of drug offenders, 73.6 percent of public order offenders and 71.3 percent of violent offenders. After being released most ex-cons describe the world as a place where laws have to be followed but you have some extent of freedom. While others feel it is the same inside or outside of jail the only difference is that jail does offer 3 meals and a cot. Most of the time the ex-cons feel this way because after getting out they cannot find a job, place to stay or even get meals; and this results back to their criminal acts.