Pathways From Prison Project Analysis

A provision in the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994 banned access to Pell Grants for incarcerated adults. At the time, Pell grant usage among inmates constituted less than 1 percent of Federal Pell spending, but its removal all but eliminated postsecondary opportunities for inmates. Since that time, research has found that access to correctional education (i.e. adult education, postsecondary courses, and workforce training) correlates with significantly reduced chances of recidivism, increased employment prospects, and greater public safety. Under the Obama Administration the Department initiated a pilot program reinstating some incarcerated individuals’ access to Pell Grants to pursue higher education. Do you have an opinion on whether providing postsecondary for prisoners helps reduce recidivism, increase employment, and

Vivian Nixon’s article “During and After Incarceration, Education Changes Lives” argues higher education should be made available to current and formerly imprisoned individuals. Her main point is that, “Lawmakers should remove the obstacles that prevent convicted individuals from earning degrees during and after their sentences” (Nixon). Throughout the article, she discusses the value of education and how it reduces recidivism. While appealing to legislators who implement the law, the article is relevant to all readers.

The United States prison system is considered today to be one of the most flawed and corrupt systems of the modern world. Given this fact, it is unsurprising that one of the most talked about issues in the US today is prison reform. Prison reform is a phrase which refers to the attempt to improve conditions inside prisons, establishing a more effective penal system, or implementing alternatives to incarceration. The US has spent the past twenty years gradually working to improve its prisons, and even recently strives to better the federal and state prison system as a whole. One of the main goals of prison reform is reducing recidivism, which is the chance of an incarcerated person re-offending. One of the main ways to do this is to give inmates ways to spend their time that will better them and prepare them to re-enter society as a fully productive, rehabilitated citizen. This facet of prison reform is the basis for the Prison Reform and Redemption Act of 2017. This bill, which was to be reviewed on Wednesday, April 25 but is

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 and 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.

Community Based Corrections programs, also known as halfway houses or Residential Reentry facilities, were established as an alternative for prisoners to complete their term of incarceration in a community setting. Residential Reentry facilities provide a structured environment for low, minimum, and high-risk offenders while allowing them to integrate back into society. Specifically, Residential Reentry facilities provide offenders the opportunity to gain employment, establish financial responsibility, and obtain suitable housing. With the overcrowding of prisons, the ability to participate in Community Based Correction programs enables the convicted criminals as well as prison staff to lessen the loads that come with working in a prison as well as improve the lifestyle that comes with incarceration. As with all things in life, there are positive as well as negative outcomes to the participation of these convicted criminals in community-based programs. In viewing the positive and negative outcomes, the end

Newark, New Jersey is one city working to improve job prospects and reduce ex-offender recidivism through a project called Opportunity Reconnect. Housed at Newark's Essex County College, this project aims to conquer three key features of effective re-entry. The programs set aid education, employment and social services. Services offered are in place to assist ex-cons through the process of reentering the real world (Prisoner Re-entry in Newark: It Takes a

There are many prison inmates who come from broken homes and have mental problems that went undiagnosed and untreated. The problem is that prison’s do not try to teach prisoners how to learn from their mistakes and better themselves. (McGovern, Celeste. 42) What actually happens is that criminals tend to be better criminals, and have the ability to “one up” the police. Our politicians need to stress how important vocational, educational, drug-treatment, and work programs are, in order to improve the attitude and demeanor of these convicted felons. This is the only way to keep ex-con's from becoming repeat offenders. (DeLuca, H.R. 38) Ex-convicts who find a job and a place to stay are less likely to return to crime. In Norway, prisoners can start their new jobs 18 months before they get out of prison. In America, there are 27,000 state licensing rules keeping felons out of jobs such as barber and roofer.

Given grim post-release arrest rates, it’s hard to understand why our government is not doing more to help those transitioning from incarceration to life on the outside. It doesn’t make sense for taxpayer dollars to go towards incarcerating people over and over – it seems that the money could be better spent improving rehabilitation programs for inmates. Increased funding for programs aimed at helping former inmates transition to life on the outside would likely lead to better outcomes for those individuals, fewer crimes being committed, and lower recidivism rates. One would hope that our society would want to see people who are incarcerated serve their time, get rehabilitated, get released, and become productive members of their communities.

Most individuals in the Federal Prison system will come into it very depressed and wallow in their own self-misery which will leave a negative impact on their transitional process. However, there are those mindful individuals who choose to use the time they are incarcerated to positively improve their lives by staying active in the programs offered through the Bureau of Prisons. There are several options for those inmates who are interested in furthering their educational goals, as the prison system makes it mandatory for all inmates who do not have their high school diploma

Lurigio and Olson (2014) noted prison-based treatment starts the recovery process, but a continuum of care is a necessity to maximize the effectiveness of treatment. Their research found offenders who participated in prison-based treatment and community aftercare were less likely to re-offend compared to those who only participated in prison-based treatment. Hall et al. (2012) found higher success rates among offenders who participated in prison-based treatment and continued to engage in treatment once released from custody. A lack of education is another factor that plays in the role of recidivism. Dirks-Linhorst et al. (2012) highlighted the importance of community aftercare and the role of education because those who lacked a high-school diploma or GED were more likely to re-offend. Many offenders have poor work histories and Dickson, Leukefeld, Stanton-Tindall, Webster, and Wilson (2014) noted employment is a critical key to the continued success of an offender and their treatment. Dickson (2014) suggest offenders who obtain employment once released from custody will be more successful in the reentry process.

The article "The Impact of Career and Technical Education Programs on Adult Offenders: Learning Behind Bars" by Howard Gordon and Bracie Weldon (2003) studies of how prisoners receiving educations in prison reduces the recidivism rate. Gordon and Weldon studied the inmates who were participating in the educational programs at the Huttonsville Correctional Center in West Virginia and claimed that inmates who participated in the educational programs were less likely to recidivate once released back into the population as compared to inmates who did not participate in these programs (Gordon & Weldon, 2003). This study provides valuable information as to the effectiveness of educational programs in prison and how they affect prisoner's lives

In 2015, there were 6,741,400 individuals in the United States who are under some form of supervision in the correctional system (Kaeble & Glaze, 2016). While this number was the lowest since 1994, it illustrates there is still a significant number of people who will be seeking employment upon reentering society. Studies have shown that recidivism is increased by legitimate and satisfying employment, particularly amongst those with higher quality and better paying jobs (Visher, Winterfield, & Coggeshall, 2005). While many offenders were employed prior to incarceration, many have not held steady jobs and may not have the education and job skills to find steady employment. Additionally, longer sentences equate to longer gaps in employment and experience. While many correctional systems provide vocational training, opportunities to learn basic skills, and GED classes; offenders still need assistance navigating the job search process. Furthermore, they often need assistance with housing, childcare, counseling, medical care, and food. Therefore, it is important to provide this population with resources to meet their basic needs, in addition to, locating satisfying employment, education, and skills training. While this population may need assistance with resumes, cover letters, and interviewing, they are also faced with a need for education regarding their rights and how to disclose their criminal background to potential

(Prison Overcrowding is a growing concern in the U.S.). Proponents of prison reform believe that it would be better to demolish every prison in the country and replace them with locked, safe and secure home-like residential communities; within these communities residents could be provided treatments needed for substance abuse, medical interventions and necessary psychotherapy. (Prison Overcrowding is a growing concern in the U.S.). Another much needed component for rehabilitation is education. In addition, it has been proven that obtaining a college degree while in prison is 100 percent effective in preventing recidivism. If as a society, everybody can begin treating prisoners with the same degree of respect and kindness that they should get upon release, then guards need to change how they treat them during incarceration. (Prison Overcrowding is a growing concern in the

Incorporating ways to include education can avoid re-arrest and re-incarceration after release, ex-offenders can and will experience less recidivism growth in its society. The probability of criminal recidivism is shown to decline over time (Custer, 2013). The decline in recidivism can take place if ex-offenders are given a chance for higher education through admissions. Custer (2013) shows in a completed case study, which was meant to rebuke the way admission offices treat students who may need higher education, especially ex-offenders. Having a strong support system would include admission offices being less stringent to ex-offenders and be given the right to a higher education. One candidate, who I will call “Susan,” had an especially troublesome involvement with this procedure and eventually pulled back her application. (Custer, 2013). Ex-offenders face many challenges with the approach to obtaining a higher education and avoiding recidivism. “Those with the highest education were more likely to employ with higher wages and less recidivism (Fabelo, 2002 p.106). Reevaluating the admission process,

The prison system realizes that an immense majority of inmates will be released; we need to prepare them for outside life. Without the efforts of educational programs, a prison can become a “revolving door, with inmates having nowhere to go but back” to the prison with no future (Young 1). A majority of the states offer a GED program, but North Carolina profits from a Community College system that offers classes in academics, auto mechanics, masonry, wiring, plumbing, and computer literacy. The Community Colleges offer two-year degree programs in many areas. The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill offers business association classes to inmates over twenty-five years of age. Because of the excellent programs they have to offer, more than five thousand of about thirty thousand inmates are in the education program and these numbers continue to grow.