Challenges Faced by Offenders in Re-Entry to the Community - Research Paper Example

 Challenges Faced by Offenders in Re-Entry to the Community Thesis Statement: The purpose of the current research is to explore the challenges faced by offenders to the community, contending that the greater level of social or family support which are perceived to be accessible to the offender, the greater the ease of re-entry to the local community. Introduction The justice system has instituted various crime prevention interventions and community corrections programs which take into account the best interests of diverse stakeholders. Law enforcers and judicial policymakers evaluate various concerns and challenges which could hamper the application of recommended rehabilitation programs to prevent recidivism. Despite the in-depth assessment of theoretical frameworks that aim to address immediate resolution of crimes and study criminal behavior, there still remain challenges in diverse facets of corrections programs, especially community corrections. Community corrections programs have been defined as “the supervision of criminal offenders in the resident population, as opposed to confining them in secure correctional facilities” [Bur142]. One of the most prominent challenges in community corrections programs is the aspect of re-entry of offenders in the community. The current discourse aims to explore the challenges faced by offenders to the community, contending that the greater level of social or family support which are perceived to be accessible to the offender, the greater the ease of re-entry to the local community. The research would initially delve into defining re-entry and determining the common problems and challenges faced by offenders after re-entry. Concurrently, subsequent sections would discuss the impact of perceived social and family support to the reentry of the offender to the community. The disadvantages of the inability to address the challenges of reentry; and the advantages of instituting successful reentry measures would also be discussed. Finally, proposed ways to address these challenges would also be expounded. A concluding portion would summarize the points that were discussed in the study. Prisoner Re-Entry According to the International Institute for Alcohol Awareness (n.d.), re-entry “refers to the process that these prisoners (mostly male and disproportionately nonwhite) make in transitioning from incarceration back into society” (p. 2). The Court Services and Offender Supervision Agency (SCOSA) for the District of Columbia stipulated a re-entry mission in terms of determining re-entry needs, provision for a seemless transition and integration to the community, educating the parolees on positive behavior and values, and preparing “parolees for community supervision and beyond, linking parolees with community resources, and educating them on the benefits of establishing positive and healthy relationships and engaging in pro-social activities” [CSOnd]. From the definition and mission statement, it could be deduced that re-entry is not a simple protocol that offenders or parolees transition to after a community corrections program has been instituted. Not only should the offenders be prepared for re-entry; but more so, members of the local community through programs earmarked to parolees, should be ready to accept them and to ensure that recidivism would be prevented. The steps in the reentry process was expounded by Alarid (2015) to begin with a review of the offenders who are eligible for release. Time sheets indicating good times and other positive behavior are reviewed by supervising officers and eventually, by members of the parole board. Likewise, Alarid (2015) also disclosed the implementation of prerelease programs to qualified offenders deemed eligible for release to provide them with “increased opportunities for job readiness, education, housing assistance, and furloughs” [Ala15]. These programs ensure that offenders are prepared to be integrated to the community through development of knowledge and skills that would make them productive citizens. Challenges Faced by Offenders in Re-Entry to the Community One of the dominant problems identified and taken from the perspective of policymakers and criminal justice practitioners is the inability of local communities to address the propensities of newly released prisoners to use and abuse alcohol (International Institute for Alcohol Awareness, n.d.). Likewise, other identified challenges include the following: “community supervision obligations and special conditions, housing, employment, vocational and/or educational development, communication, community support network, substance abuse and relapse prevention, physical and mental health concerns, propensities for criminal activities, parenting, reconnecting with family or significant others, time management, leisure activities, transportation, identification, and being successful” [CSOnd1]. In addition, in the article written by Thompson (n.d.), the author categorized the challenges in terms of barriers to reentry such as housing, employment and voting; complications due to gender; challenges to the community; and the apparently limited response of the federal government. The Impact of Inability to Address Effective Reentry Policies and Programs Offenders who were not provided with appropriate support upon reentry were revealed to have exhibited increased rates of recidivism and tendencies to abuse alcohol [Intnd4]. As such, these negative effects continue to incur costs to society due to the need to go back to imprisonment and undergo corrections programs; in conjunction with problems of alcoholism, depression, and possibly risks of mental illness. In addition, statistics have revealed that the most pressing effect of the inability to prepare offenders to transition to reintegration to the community is the cost components to the individual, the community, and to the government [Intnd4]. The statistics on costs of re-arrest and re-incarceration was noted, to wit: “the high costs of incarcerating so many people has made corrections spending the fastest, or second-fastest, growing item in state budgets over the last 15 years, from $9 billion in 1982 to $60 billion a year in 2002” [Intnd4]. Thus, it was signficanty affirmed that corrections programs need to be insituted from entry point of offenders up to preparation for reentry to the community and beyond. Benefits of Successful Reentry Programs The benefits of successful reentry programs have been expounded in the study published by the International Institute for Alcohol Awareness (n.d.). These advantages include: (1) protection to the individuals who could be victimized by offenders in potentially committing new crimes; (2) minimizes offenders propensities for paying fines, restitution and reliance on family support; (3) prevents incurring costs on incarceration-related expenses (police and prison); (4) addressing addiction to alcohol or drugs; (5) assists in avoiding collateral consquences [Ala15]; and finally, (6) breaking the “cycle of devastation that repeat crimes inflict on families, whose children are significantly more likely themselves to commit crimes or become addicted to alcohol and/or drugs” [Intnd4]. The Impact of Perceived Social and Family Support to the Reentry to the Community There were studies which confirmed the crucial role that family and social support were acknowledged to impact on the transition of offenders to be released to the community [Fon12]. In the article written by diZerega (2010), the author revealed that “families and social networks provide significant support to incarcerated and reentering offenders” (p. 9). The support were noted in terms of provision of housing, source of financial support, referral for employment, assistance in providing transportation, provides emotional support, and assists in preventing recidivism through physical presence and holistic support [diZ10]. The prevention for going back to misdemeanor and recidivism was corroborated by the study conducted by Fontaine, Gilchrist‐Scott, Denver, & Rossman (2012) who emphasized that “strengthening and leveraging the resources of families and social support networks—individuals who are already present in former prisoners’ lives—will bring about more successful reentry outcomes…Case management techniques that are family-focused or family-inclusive have been shown to be effective ways to reduce the likelihood that individuals will return to criminal activity” (p. 1). More importantly, family and social support enables past offenders in transitionto the community to avoid tendencies for using or abusing alcohol, to wit: “research demonstrates that family support can positively impact intermediate reentry outcomes, such as avoiding drug and alcohol abuse or finding employment” (p. 10). The role that positive perception plays, from the point of view of the offender, as integration to the community is being processed is relevant. As emphasized, “the simple perception of support can be a powerful motivator. The literature shows that offenders who perceive that they have close family relationships or family support – that their family will assist them with housing or financial support, or that their family accepts them – exhibit better employment and substance abuse outcomes” [diZ10]. Proposed Ways to Address the Challenges After identifying and confirming that family and social support significantly increases the successful reentry of offenders to the community, community corrections programs should focus on designing measures to intensify these support mechanisms prior to offenders’ release. The appropriate interventions for reentry to the community would depend on the accurate assessment of the offenders’ background and performance during the institution of community corrections programs. When the offender possesses strong family and social support, reentry and integration measures to the community are expected to be minimum since assistance would be provided by the family members and the circle of friends, relatives, and acquaintances. The challenging part is to prepare appropriate assistance to offenders with no known family or social support. In this situation, the community corrections practitioners must be able to design needed treatment including education, skills-based development programs, assessment of health (physical, mental, and emotional), and availability of transitional housing. Likewise, there is a need for integrative treatment which addresses the need for violent and serious offenders bound for reentry. These are explained in greater detail in the Serious and Violent Offender Reentry Initiative is available at the Office of Justice Programs Web site: www​.ojp.usdoj.gov/reentry/learn.html [Sub05]. Conclusion Family and social support have been confirmed to be instrumental in the successful reentry of offenders to the community. Most of the incidental challenges, including housing, financial concerns, and propensities for recidivism are effectively addressed with holistic support from family members and from the offenders’ social system. Focusing on any weaknesses that brought the offender to misdemeanor, in the first place, should be the focal point for the design of community corrections program that would assist in reforming the offender and in ensuring that after reentry, a more optimistic and productive life would be attained. References Bur142: , (Bureau of Justice Statistics, 2014, p. 1), CSOnd: , (CSOSA, n.d., p. 1), Ala15: , (Alarid, 2015, p. 262), CSOnd1: , (CSOSA, n.d., p. 1), Intnd4: , (International Institute for Alcohol Awareness, n.d.), Intnd4: , (International Institute for Alcohol Awareness, n.d., p. 2), Ala15: , (Alarid, 2015), Intnd4: , (International Institute for Alcohol Awareness, n.d., p. 3), Fon12: , (Fontaine, Gilchrist‐Scott, Denver, & Rossman, 2012), diZ10: , (diZerega, 2010), diZ10: , (diZerega, 2010, p. 11), Sub05: , ( Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (US), 2005), Read More