Prisoner Re-entry into Society - Essay Example

Identification This article had numerous main points. To begin with, the correlation between rates of recidivism and length of incarceration was described as positive. 1,144 inmates were examined using a screening tool to “assess for risk of general violent felony recidivism” (Manchak, Skeem, & Douglas, 2007), and this tool was found moderately predict general recidivism. Furthermore, the utility of developing a screening tool for criminal recidivism is described in great detail; 95% of all prisoners will be released eventually (Hughes et al., 2001), and there likelihood to continue to commit criminal acts is a reality that affects the everyday decisions made by judges, parole boards, and even the media (Manchak, Skeem, & Douglas, 2007).

The authors of this article also differentiate that while risk assessment tools do exist for parole boards to predict recidivism, none of them are tailored to LTI’s, who are the population that is most likely to continue criminal behavior. The remainder of the article discusses the rigorous scientific methods that were used to analyze the LSI-R screening tool for the “basic strength of the relation between LSI-R scores and recidivism rates” (Manchak, Skeem, & Douglas, 2007). . to predict this phenomenon, these tools are not tailored for the long term inmate, and in fact are more tailored to short term inmates or first time offenders.

Long term inmates are sociologically more removed from society than short term inmates, or first time offenders. They have lived outside of society for longer periods of time and are more accustomed to the life of incarceration than other inmates, and logically this would make the transition to life as a productive member of society more difficult (Manchak, Skeem, & Douglas, 2007). The media often jumps on the state for releasing inmates with violent or more antisocial convictions, and these inmates are usually the ones who have spent a longer amount of time incarcerated.

The researchers who designed the LSI-R attempted to make a screening tool specifically for LTI’s thus making the recidivism prediction process more accurate. Critique I agree with the researchers who designed the LSI-R and with Manchak, Skeem, and Douglas. To use the same tool for all inmates in predicting recidivism would not be as accurate as to use tools tailored to specific inmate cohorts. While the authors of this article were right in determine the need for a tool to be used for LTI’s in predicting recidivism, the LSI-R itself seems to fall short.

This tool only “moderately predicts general recidivism” (Manchak, Skeem, & Douglas, 2007). A more accurate tool should be developed by the researchers, or the LSI-R itself can be improved upon, especially in the area of predicting violent felony recidivism at a higher degree of success than moderate. Clearly, there is a need for a more accurate tool, and I have no doubt that the funding would be available to refine the LSI-R or to develop a new tool. References Manchak, S.M., Skeem,