Poverty Can Reduce Recidivism

researchers had conducted and gaining a statistical analysis of the researches, a meta-analysis is often one of the best tools to ensure a positive impact on recidivism “meta-analysis is the principal source of information for "effective principles” (Gendreau, 1996, p. 120). Often times these intervention programs are intensive and behavioral based, which are vital to the program. Behavioral Programs, should target the criminogenic needs of the offender, which has better results when it is paired with the offender’s risk level.

In a fight to reduce overcrowding, improve public health and public safety, and reduce the costs of criminal justice and corrections, federal, state and local leaders are constantly looking for alternatives to incarceration. A number of strategies have been put in place to save public funds and improve public health by keeping low-risk, non-violent, possibly drug-involved offenders out of prison or jail while still holding them accountable and securing the safety of our comminutes. These programs have been put in place to help those who don’t necessarily need to be in jail, get their priorities straight while also holding them accountable for their actions. They have been put in place to help reduce incarceration rates, but also help those who may have mental health issues or substance abuse issues that have caused them to make bad decisions (Treatment Court Divisions).

July 30, 2014, Margarita Murugia was found hanging in her solitary confinement cell at the CIW. “She was there for her own protection, not because she did something”. According to the advocacy group California Coalition for Women Prisoners, CIW has had seven deaths since the start of 2014. In comparison, the prison had five deaths in 2013 and one in 2012. (Mass incarceration )

less than one year ago Governor Jerry Brown signed a package of legislative bills that will be used as a means to help the California correctional department. The faculty within his offices have described this as a legislative push used to lower recidivism through rehabilitation in both the adult and juvenile systems of corrections. According to Governor Jerry Brown, one of the biggest issues that the state of California has struggled with for years is the harsh prison sentences that have driven high cost and increased recidivism. One of the primary focuses of this bill is to lower the prison sentences for convicted offenders. Two other bills that were recently signed will be used to provide an earlier parole for both young and elderly prisoners.

Prison reform must be implicated for the general public to feel safe once again. Society has trained us from a very young age to believe that that anyone who committed a crime belongs in jail despite “recent studies find no correlation between incarceration and low crime rates” (Machelor). There has actually been more studies that has suggest children who are raised in homes where the parents has spent most of their lives in jails are five times more likely to grow up to commit similar crimes of their parents. This is especially true in poverty stricken areas where children will resort to petty crimes like their parents. Government officials should consider crimes that correlate to economic and social disadvantages in society and “create

As a future therapist, I have a goal of opening a non-profit community based program focused on reducing the recidivism rate in San Diego, California, and rehabilitating nonviolent male offenders. Once these individuals are released from jail, many of them have a difficult time assimilating successfully back into society. Often, they have limited resources, job skills, housing, or money. There is a stigma associated with jail and prison. With nowhere to turn and often very few resources these individuals end up reverting back to the life of crime. For many of them, they are out of options and resources. The purpose of this primary intervention program is to develop a program that will assist the men with resources with a goal of helping them

Diversion programs have evolved over time. There are countless programs available with which they all aim to reduce recidivism within the correctional system. We’re going to discuss fome of the programs and their effectiveness.

Correctional treatment programs have long been thought not to be effective in lowering the recidivism among criminals; Martinson (1979). Researchers have done countless studies and surveys only to find out that many of these studies and programs work and nearly the same number of programs do not work, depending on what component was or was not a part of the studies. Knowing that all programs does not work for all criminals is a no brainer, however, finding a good mixture of what does work and for what percentage of criminals is a beginning to duplicate that program with a few minor adjustments in the programs.

Parole is a huge problem in america as of current. This is because the odds of the offender staying out of prison are very low. This happen because the offender does not respect the privilege of parole, to them it is just an excuse to get out of jail.

The rise in incarceration in the United States is contrary to “the fact that almost every observer of the criminal justice system agrees that incarceration is an expensive undertaking that probably does very little good to reduce crime.” The incarceration rate in America is the highest in the world, as “[a]bout 2,870 offenders per 100,000 U.S. adult residents (or about 2.9% of adults) were under some form of correctional supervision at yearend 2012.” The decrease in crime and the increase in prison inmates could be seen to be connected, yet, studies “have found that the effect on crime rates of increasing incarceration is miniscule” . Many of those incarcerated are held on non-violent drug charges, as a result of the “War on Drugs”. The Anti-Drug Abuse Act, which was passed in the mid-1980s, brought in mandatory minimum prison terms for those in possession of narcotics. While there may seem to be a strong racial discrimination trend in the prison system, as “1 in 3 black men in the United States will go to prison or jail if current trends continue” , drug offenses primarily harm the poorest people in America . This contributes to the cycle of poverty in America as well, as “[i]ncarceration triggers a cascade of imperiled rights not only for former prisoners, who face disenfranchisement, denial of housing, the inability to find work and food insecurity, but also for their dependents.” These offenders, while certainly not innocent, are imprisoned for long periods of time, causing the rapid rise in the prison population in the United States. The mass incarceration rates lend credence to the idea that America is becoming a police

Not only this but, “offenders who commit new offenses after court contact are at risk for a variety of poor developmental and life course outcomes, including school failure, out of home placements, occupational marginality, and long-term involvement in criminal activity” (Schwalbe 2004). As seen here, this is a downward spiral. Active reform has never before been at such a demand. As recidivism and juvenile delinquency continues to increase, not only will national crime rates and juvenile prison populations inflate, but the diminishing of an educated, safe, and economically stable society will also be affected regrettably. If juveniles whom continue to commit repeat criminal offenses lack school initiative, family support, and job exposure, than relatively as recidivism and juvenile criminal activity increases, our nation’s standard of living will consequently lower.

The United States justice system can be described as a cycle, where people enter the prison system, are released, and upon failure to integrate into society soon find themselves back behind bars. Although the means in which the cycle is perpetuated can be argued, the rate of re-offenders is constantly trying to be reduced. One term used to define this type of convict is recidivism, which is the repeat criminal action of a convicted inmate. Recidivism is fastly becoming a issue in the United States as it has been shown that 70% of convicted offenders have been reconvicted within three years of release (Esperian, 2010, p. 322). As crime of any background can be detrimental to society, this high rate of reentry into the justice system has stimulated

never implemented as intended. Although the contours of the correctional system changed—the juvenile court, indeterminate sentencing, probation, parole, and discretion became integral features of this system—the resources and knowledge needed to provide effective treatment to offenders were in short supply. Cullen and Gendreau (2000).

With the highest incarcerated rate in the world, does the United States prison systems offer quality rehabilitation or just punishment? According to data from the Bureau of Justice Statistics, there was approximately 706 prisoners per 100,000 residents, or about 2.2 million prisoners in 2012 and within 3 years, almost 6 out of 10 released inmates will be rearrested and half will be back in prison. According to data from www.gpo.gov , the vast majority of prisoners are not rehabilitated. Two-thirds of released prisoners are re-arrested and one-half are re-incarcerated within three years of release from prison. Rates of recidivism rise to approximately 75%-85% of released prisoners are likely to be re-arrested within a decade of release. Successful rehabilitation is vital when releasing an inmate into the community as it produces a significant reduction in criminal recidivism. The purpose of incarceration is to protect the public and punish as well as rehabilitate the criminal. It is designed to change an inmate's view of life and alter their future behavior when re-entering society. Prisons offer education, labor, and other rehabilitation sources to inmates, so why is the recidivism rate so high with these programs in place?

Although most people look at poverty and crime as two different social problems, they are interconnected in our society. Wheelock and Uggen (2006) made five core arguments in the article Race, poverty, and punishment: The impact of criminal sanctions on racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic inequality. This article discusses how crime, poverty, and punishment are all connected. Understanding each of the five core arguments allows someone to grasp how this interconnection of social problems affects society.