REHABILITATE THE PENAL SYSTEM

Are we under any obligation to rehabilitate the individuals who have
been incarcerated for not adhering to the laws of society? Certainly
we must be!

As of August 2003, approximately 5.6 million Americans were in prison
or had served time there. This staggering number is equivalent to 1 in
37 adults living in the United States, the highest incarceration rate
in the world.

What has impeded the rehabilitation of prisoners before being
released? Budget reforms, staff shortages, lack of educational and
vocational resources, zero-tolerance laws, the war on drugs, get tough
on crime laws, mandatory minimum sentences - the list is as long as
the national budget and does not seem to be getting any shorter.

Ex-offenders are returning to the streets at alarming rates only to
face the reality that they were not given the proper "tools" to
survive in a society that will not tolerate crime. Recidivism rates
have risen to 62 percent and continue to increase at alarming rates.

What happens when we incarcerate non-violent drug users and small-time
sellers and place them into hateful and violent penitentiary
environments? Are we providing an incentive for change or exacerbating
the propensity for violence, theft and hatred, in addition to lack of
societal and family contacts?

Prisons are reported to be high-crime "communities" where prisoners
face a 1 in 5 chance of being assaulted, 1 in 20 chance of being
robbed and a 1 in 3 chance of being a victim of theft. Studies show
that jailing parents creates trauma and depression among children,
forces them into foster care and increases the likelihood of future
jail time for the children.

Since the vast majority of prisoners will be released back into
society, it is the responsibility of both society and the prisoners to
help in developing opportunities that reduce the recidivism rates and
help those released to lead productive lives after prison.

Numerous studies have demonstrated that education is the most
effective way to reduce recidivism rates, yet most prison extension
classes have been abolished. Prisoners who do not take part in
education or training are three times more likely to be reconvicted,
while basic-skills education can contribute to a reduction in
reoffending by around 12 percent.

Not only do prisoners need the opportunity to learn vocational skills
but also they need assistance with developing thinking skills, social
perspectives and moral reasoning. Behavioral programs such as
parenting skills and anger management are also needed to assist with
the reintegration into society.

There are many barriers to learning in prisons. They include long
waiting lists to enter vocational or education programs due to the
lack of opportunities, movement between prisons disrupting education,
disparities in education funding between prisons, low rates of pay for
attending education courses compared to prison work, and
inconsistencies in procedures to assess educational needs.

Since we are going to continue to release prisoners back into the
community, we need to assure that they are mentally prepared to do so.
We need to make the resources available for both education and
training comparable to those in society.

Rehabilitation of prisoners is not rocket science but it does take a
commitment from society and government to assist in the funding of
educational and vocational opportunities.

Programs such as a restorative justice program in St. Louis has helped
43 ex-offender "Care Team" members; first with housing,
transportation, drug counseling and basic education, but also by
placing them in jobs where they have a chance to serve people more
needy than themselves. So far, reports board member Rosanne Bennett,
not one participant has reoffended or returned to prison.

We have a right to serve and protect all citizens of the United
States, and we must not forget that prisoners are entitled to the same
rights!