Bringing Prisoners Back Of Life By Jerome Hines

Another report from the National Institute of Justice claimed that illiteracy was the primary cause of crime. And it’s no wonder; if one cannot learn, where can he or she turn in order to survive? A recent study of juvenile offenders placed them, on average, at a third grade reading level. Jobs were simply not an option; they simply did not have, and could not learn, the necessary skills. And thus they were absorbed into the gangs, and the attendant drugs and crime. Higher education in penitentiaries used to be ordinary, but in 1994 Congress eliminated federal funding for inmates to go to college and many programs were abolished. The reasons were: why should the government give free college educations to inmates when there are so many unconvicted students who cannot afford it? One of the best ways to rehabilitate criminals is through educating them while they are in prison, but most people do not want to pay for prisoners to go to college when even they have trouble coming up with money for their own kid’s education. We’re hung up on solving problems by “Getting Tough” and place too little value on “Getting Smart.” Not only must we educate the prisoners, we must also take the time to educate the police officers. We must begin this educational rehabilitation process by rating the prisons the same way we rate our schools: By their success rate.

     “It is not a surprise to see that prisoners all have a low education level. I guess a more educated person has enough sense not to be involved with crime…the relationship between crime and education is easy to see when viewing these facts” (Cordes 1). This is the view of most people when asked why people are in prison. People simply say that criminals were ill educated. As hard as we may try, we cannot do a lot about what happens before they enter prison, but there are many programs inside prisons to help rehabilitate them for when they leave the prison.

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.

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

Why do I believe you should hire a felon? It’s been said that when somebody has something to prove, they will move mountains for you. How much does an individual coming out of a situation such as prison have to prove? Plenty. Not only to you as an employer, not only to society in general, but also to his family and everyone else who doesn’t believe that someone who has been imprisoned can make anything of themselves in life. President Kennedy stated in an article titled, Address to the American Newspaper Publishers, "An error does not become a mistake until you refuse to correct it. We intend to accept full responsibility for our errors; and we expect you to point them out when we miss them”

Inmates need to be educated and rehabilitated in order to be released back into society. If prisoners receive a good education they are less likely to commit misconduct in the future. The Three State Recidivism Study

The United States currently has the highest number of prisoners in the world. According to Glaze and Herrmann (2013), approximately 6.9 million adults are under some form of correctional supervision in the United States. Crime in the United States is relatively equal to that of any other industrialized nation, so why does the United States house so many inmates irrespective of the fact that the nation cannot successfully manage a budget for the institution as well as manage the inmates? An inmate, Victor Hassine, provides insight as to what prisoners physically and mentally experience during incarceration as well as his ideas on the effects of prisons on inmates in his book, Life without Parole.

Employment is always an issue when it comes to an ex-offender. Not only is it hard for the everyday person in society to find employment due to a poor economy, but it is much harder for an ex-offender. While in prison, prisoners are usually made to work. Unlike other programs such as counseling, prison work programs can be justified for reasons other than rehabilitation of the individual offender. From the perspective of the policy maker in the criminal justice system, they can help manage the population by occupying the time of the prisoners, aid in the operation of the prison, create revenue (maybe), and provide a

This is where the Ban The Box Law comes into play. Business owners are always looking to hire new people if the Ban The Box Law is passed someone that is qualified gets a chance to express their attributes and sell themselves, verses been judged by what is on their initial application. When you limit someone’s options to get their life back in order after being released from jail or prison you force them into survival mode. You know that fight or flight feeling a person experiences when they feel they are in danger? That’s the same feeling an ex-felon feels when they are trying to change their life around only to keep hitting a brick wall in the process.

The Book is written by a former radio reporter, Mumia Abu-Jamal who, during the time in the book is in a Pennsylvania prison awaiting his execution. He was convicted and sentenced to death in 1982 for the murder of a Philadelphia police officer. Live from Death Row is a collection of writings while he was in prison which tells a passionate and emotional account of the brutalities and humiliations of prison life. He explains the rules and regulations and day to day life in prison, on death row. He goes into detail about not only his feelings about prison life, but almost the feeling of life in general after being in prison compared to life out of prison. He explains what rules are enforced and which rules he violates and what is the outcome. He speaks of racism and political bias not only in America but mainly in the American justice system which he experiences first hand. He tells of instances of controversy surrounding the death penalty and freedom of speech against himself and others. This book is a compilation of the notes Mumia has taken over the years he was in prison and he highlights specific incidents to show readers what the life of a prisoner on death row is like. This volume is a collection of his writings, which documents the life in prison from his first-hand experience. I, like many I believe found this book fragmented as it is broken up into many short areas of topics and thought processes which he articulates and attempts to explain one issue after another to

2015) Research shows that a one dollar investment in prison education reduces incarceration costs by four to five dollars during the first three years after an inmate’s release. Most released inmates with no education return to prison within the first three years of getting out. Inmates with an education have a thirteen percent higher chance of finding employment after being released which reduces the chance of them returning to a life of crime and prison. John Johnson, imprisoned for life as a three-time felon says “that classes offered in prison helps him realize that he is alive and a human being.”

I agree with the author Daniel Harr in the article “A Plea from Behind Bars” in which he offers a suggestion about education for those who are incarcerated for non-violent crimes. I do believe that the education programs behind bars could be very helpful for non-violent criminals. These programs can build self-esteem and can promote positive behaviors in non-violent criminals. That is because if they haven’t got a chance in their lives to change their life this is a big opportunity. Moreover, the cost of incarcerating a non-violent criminal is high. So working towards educating them would be a right step. With the education, they can work on gaining valuable trade skills. That will reduce the burden on the government because the recidivism

On February 26 2017, 60 Minutes aired the segment titled Life After Death Row. In it, Scott Pelley interviewed Ray Hinton, a 57-year-old man who was convicted and put on death row for a crime he did not commit. Hinton explained that he had lost thirty years of his life in prison. Specifically, he explained that a witness had misidentified him as the suspect of three shootings and two murders. After a new ballistics test proved his innocence years later, all the state of Alabama had to offer was a drop of all the charges – no money compensation whatsoever. For Hinton, adjusting to the world after thirty years of being incarcerated was a journey. As he proposed, “I’m still learning. I’m still learning that I can take a bath every day. I’m still learning that I don’t have to get up at 3 o’clock in the morning and eat breakfast. I’m still learning that life is not always what we think it is.” Although some people believe that the state doesn’t necessarily owe compensation for those who were falsely convicted

Education reduces the recidivism rate. According to www.ed.gov, “Employment after release was thirteen percent higher among prisoners who participated in either academic or vocational education programs than among those who did not.” Education gives

This paper explores the benefits provided by educational programs in jails and prisons. Included are the reasons inmates need education in order to successfully reenter society once they are released and use the knowledge and skills they have learned to obtain a job in order to support themselves and their families. Also examined in the paper are the financial benefits of incorporating educational programs instead of cutting them, as well as the effect these programs play on the recidivism rate. Lastly is a focus on understanding the importance of education and job training, even though the recipients are criminals.