Rehabilitative Programs in Prisons - Coursework Example

Rehabilitative Programs in Prisons Critics observed that since 1970, the American system of prisons and the number of incarcerated individuals have grown on a very past pace and on a very huge scale. Privatization of the prison-related industries has boosted these figures as well as the increasingly penalizing guidelines for sentencing. It has now become easy to be thrown into jail for a prosecuted suspect. Statistics also show that those who go in and out of prisons are usually, Blacks or Latinos (Golembeskiv et al, 2005). Most of the prisoners are poorly educated, lack vocational skills, and are dealing with problems on drugs and alcohol. Many of them are also disabled. There is also a paucity of correctional facilities that would have help mitigate the inmates’ deficiencies in educational and/or skills. Even if prisoner are released or granted parole, majority of them will go back to communities who are also incapable of rehabilitating them. Golembeskiv et al (2005) suggests that a more humanistic approach to incarceration should be implemented in prisons. A community-centered approach is also encouraged both in incarcerating and rehabilitating. The author believes that this manner will bring forth more beneficial results not only for the individual, but also for the community, and the society. Way et al (2007) explored on how important is the patient perceptions on mental health service quality. Using anonymous surveys that were filled up privately, data were gathered among patient-inmates. Perception questions were related to medication compliance, admission to crisis observation cells, and receiving disciplinary actions. The surveys were sealed in envelopes. Results of the study show that out of 613 respondents, around 79% were satisfied with the health service quality. Close to 80% claim they had sufficient access to therapists. About 85% of them were involved with treatment decisions. Most of them also thought that mental health services they received would greatly help in the stresses and crises they are encountering psychologically and emotionally. The study also observed that health programs and housing units had differences. But still at the conclusion of the Way et al’s study, they still felt the need to enhance patient quality of care ratings. One clear reason is the case of Todd (Hyung-Rae) Tarselli, a prisoner at the Pennsylvania close-security prison. On the study of Rhodes (2005), she examined the drawings of Tarselli to illustrate the adverse effects in mental health of prisoners in the US supermaximum prisons. The author pointed out that instead of helping, the supermaximum prisons only aggravate the mental illnesses of prisoners. These kinds of prisons created devastating effects of the psychology and self-perception of prisoners even if they cannot be described as mentally ill. She also pointed out that these will have larger effects in the entire complex of US prisons. It is important not to neglect the rehabilitative programs prisons because this will not only determine the quality of life of the prisoner but of the society as well. There are several programs that most prisons use to rehabilitate the inmates. Some of these programs include: psychological programs, behavior therapy, social therapy, educational and vocational programs, substance abuse programs, sex offenders programs, and religious programs. Psychological programs The main thrust of psychological programs is to prevent and alleviate recidivism. It is not uncommon for some individuals who have already gone out of jail to come back and be incarcerated again because of charges on the same crime. Recidivism is the propensity of an individual to habitually have relapses and repeat a crime. Several studies made in the US show that around 50% to 60% the prisoners have been in jail before, and have already served the same sentence. However, these individuals went back to jail, some in other prisons, to be detained for the same offense (Dictionary.com). A related study was culminated on February of 2009. The State Criminal Justice Policy and Planning Division of the Connecticut Department of Correction finished a three-year study on 16,486 convicts who were released in 2004. The study aimed to describe and analyze the recidivism rates of the mentioned prisoners. Results show that compared to the recidivism rate in 1997 (which was 38.2%) in Connecticut, there has been a slight decline in 2004 to about 36.7%. Also during the same period the number of discharged prisoners increased to about 265% (CT.gov, n.d). The reason for such decline in the rates of recidivism is due to the programs for the inmates. These programs are Substance Abuse Treatment, Northern CI/Administrative Segregation Program, Religious Programming, Gang Management Program and the Charlene Perkins Reentry Center. The Charlene Perkins Reentry Center is a 100-bed stand alone program located on the York Correctional Institutional Center in Niantic. The program established in May 2005 intends to help released women offenders make a successful reintegration to the community. The objective was to teach them to move away from incarceration dependency and make them self-sufficient and law-abiding in the outside community. The result was a return rate of 16 percent. Between July 2006 and February 2009, 1,212 women were enrolled in the program. Among them, 313 did not complete the program. About 899 were released to the community and 144 came back to York Correctional Institutional for violations of their release conditions. Some of them returned for new criminal charges. Behavior therapy Another type of program is behavior therapy. Behavior therapy is a form of psychotherapy that is widely used for treating depression, phobias, anxiety disorders, and other forms of psychopathology. This stemmed from the school of behaviorism which states that by observing overt behavior, certain psychological matters can be scientifically studied without having to discuss mental states. For 18 months, Johnson (1977) studied and supervised a large-scale contingency management program in the Virginia correctional system. The author did so to report and to provide basis for discussion on issues raised behaviorally based treatment programs. The author figured that there are still ways to improve behavior modification program in corrections so that it will be more practical, more effective, and more ethical. It is important that such treatment will be appreciated by the corrections personnel, the inmates and the general public. In the study of Blitz et al (2006), a number of women with behavioral health needs were examined to see whether it is better to treat them in prison or in the community. Data collection was started in August 2004 in New Jersey. A total of 908 women served as correspondents. Results show that more than half of the correspondents already needed treatment before incarceration. But only 62% of these people received treatment in the community. Also fifty-eight percent of them needed treatment for mental health problems while 52% needed substance abuse treatment. Around 44% needed treatment for comorbid mental health and substance abuse problems. The study proceeded to conclude that some women could not have gone to jail if treatment had been administered in the community, especially for substance-related problems. Social therapy Boudin’s study in (1998) examined the psychosocial group model among women in prison focusing on their roles and identities as mothers. Boudin co-facilitated the group along with other inmates who are also mothers themselves. The goal of the group is simple. First is to provide an avenue for women to grow by evaluating motherly roles in the past and present. Second is to strengthen the mother-child relationship, even during incarceration. The ability to parent a mother’s children is directly related to how well the mother woks with her emotions. When a mother can understand and control her moods and emotions, she is perceived to be a better mother than when otherwise. She is also encouraged to keep the needs of her children in the forefront. Boudin’s affirmed that there is a strong effect to the behavior of an offender if she is supported by a good set of peers within the prison context. She also suggested using the peers more often that having a professional therapist facilitate the group. Educational and vocational programs Education is one of the key factors for preventing offenders from going back to jail. Vacca (2004) cited in his study that in Ohio, the recidivism rate for inmates enrolled in the college program was 18% percent compared to the overall recidivism rate of 40%. Inmates who obtained a degree or who have graduated from a college program decreased recidivism by 72% compared to those who did not participate into any of the educational programs. Meanwhile, inmates in Canada who completed a couple of years in college courses had half the rate of those did not pursue college education. New York, on the other hand, had 44.6% of the inmates who participated in college education programs, although some of them did not graduate. Vacca said that these decreased recidivism do not only benefit the individual because when inmate go to prisons, part of the local and national budget goes to them, to keep them there. When these people are out of prison, correctional education programs produce a national savings of hundreds of millions of dollars per year. Substance abuse programs Fiscella et al (2004) revealed in their study that there is a widespread inadequate treatment of drug and alcohol withdrawal in US jails. Their study aimed to estimate a figure for the number of arrestees that are at risk of inadequate treatment of drug and alcohol withdrawal in US jails. Using the Arrestee Drug Abuse Monitoring Program, data were collected and analyzed and results show that 12% of the arrestees are alcohol dependent while 4% are opiate dependent, raising important ethical and constitutional questions. A study by Welsh et al supports the "treatment hypothesis" that states participation in prison treatment programs will reduce the misconduct of inmates. The authors used the general linear modeling repeated measures techniques. The pre- and post-treatment misconduct of 1,073 inmates, who participated in therapeutic community drug treatment, were observed with a comparison group at five state prisons. Among the factors considered are drug dependency, length of sentence, age and criminal history. Although the hypothesis that therapeutic community treatment alone would significantly reduce misconduct was not supported, there were evidences of changes in misconduct over time. The article discusses implications of these results for treatment policies and future research. Sex offenders programs Roseman et al (2008) mentioned in her study that there is a dearth in the literature of practical, targeted alternatives of prosecuting and imprisoning sexual offenders in order to have a low risk of recidivism. However, they suggested Sexual Behavior Intervention Program (SBIP) as an alternative. The SBIP is intended to creatively treat male sex offender while offering options to the community for treating sexual misconduct. SBIP is a psycho-educational program based on the restorative justice model in an attempt to address not only the needs of the individual concerned, but also the community it belongs to. There are two types of treatment for sex offenders: the Prison-based and the Non-prison-based. Non-prison-based sex offender treatment programs were viewed as effective in preventing future crimes by the offender. The prison-based treatment programs had less the credibility but are promising. Nevertheless, evidences have it that they may be as effective the Non-prison-based sex offender treatment programs. Treatment is in indispensable for rehabilitating a prisoner. However, there were instances that some legislation lapses have resulted to withholding treatment to sex offenders unintentionally. Calley (2008) reported those juvenile sex offenders were denied of treatment because of reduced charges in order to avoid registration requirements. Juvenile sex offenders are youth that have committed sex crimes. Some of the enacted laws that are being pertained herein are the Wetterling Act and the Megans Law in 1996 which requires community notification of sex offenders. There is also the Pam Lychner Sexual Offender Tracking and Identification Act in 1996 that provides for heightened registration requirements for serious and repeat offenders. The Appropriations Act for the Departments of Commerce, Justice, and State, the Judiciary of 1998 on the other hand requires that registration be based on the offenses specified by state law. There is also the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Police and Campus Crime Act of 2000 which requires colleges and universities to notify the campus about registered sex offenders on campus. Religious Programs Although not strictly scientific, neither for a longer duration, the graduates of the faith based Chrysalis program at the York Correctional Institution for women, shows positive and favorable results on the behavior of offenders that have been discharged after graduation. It is the design of the program to embrace all religious beliefs. Caution was taken to ensure that the atmosphere of the whole program encourages faith and promotes commitment to productive lifestyles. This program in the institution was founded in May 2003. A study shows that since the inception of the religious program, there were a total of 180 offenders who have completed and graduated from the program. Among them, only 20 have returned to prison. Around 12% of those who returned are charged with new crimes (CT.gov, n.d). References Blitz C. L., Wolff N., Paap K. (2006). Availability of Behavioral Health Treatment for Women in Prison. Psychiatric Services, 57(3), 356-60.  Boudin, K.. (1998). Lessons from a Mothers Program in Prison: A Psychosocial Approach Supports Women and Their Children. Women & Therapy, 21(1), 103. Calley N. G.  (2008, December). Juvenile Sex Offenders and Sex Offender Legislation: Unintended Consequences1. Federal Probation, 72(3), 37-41,57. Fiscella K., Pless N., Meldrum S., Fiscella P.. (2004). Alcohol and Opiate Withdrawal in US Jails. American Journal of Public Health, 94(9), 1522-4. Golembeski C.,  Fullilove R. (2005). Criminal (In)Justice in the City and Its Associated Health Consequences. American Journal of Public Health, 95(10), 1701-6. Johnson, V. S. (1977). Behavior Modification in the Correctional Setting Criminal Justice and Behavior, 4(4): 397 - 432. Lorna A Rhodes. (2005). Pathological Effects of the Supermaximum Prison. American Journal of Public Health, 95(10), 1692-5. Recidivism. (n.d.). CT.gov. http://www.ct.gov/doc/cwp/view.asp?a=1492&Q=305970 Recidivism. (n.d.). Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1). Retrieved April 20, 2009, from Dictionary.com website: http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/recidivism Roseman, C. P., Yeager C., Korcuska J. S., Cromly A. (2008). Sexual Behavior Intervention Program: An Innovative Level of Care in Male Sex Offender Treatment. Journal of Mental Health Counseling, 30(4), 297-310. Vacca, J. S (2004). Educated Prisoners Are Less Likely to Return to Prison. Journal of Correctional Education. http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qa4111/is_200412/ai_n9466371/ Way B. B., Sawyer D.A., Kahkejian D, Moffitt C., Lilly S. N. (2007). State Prison Mental Heath Services Recipients Perception of Care Survey. Psychiatric Quarterly, 78(4), 269-77. Welsh W. N., McGrain P., Salamatin N., Zajac G. (2007). EFFECTS OF PRISON DRUG TREATMENT ON INMATE MISCONDUCT: A Repeated Measures Analysis. Criminal Justice and Behavior, 34(5), 600-615 Read More