Research Paper

Running head: REINTEGRATION OF OFFENDERS 2

REINTERGRATION OF OFFENDERS 1

Rehabilitation and Reintegration of Offenders

Course Code: CJUS600

Student’s Name

Institutional Affiliation

Project Proposal: Social Reintegration of Offenders is the Most Important Aspect of Offender Rehabilitation

Offender rehabilitation is the process through which offenders are guided to avoid the behaviors or habits that predispose them to crime. The rehabilitation process assumes that offenders are influenced by external factors to commit a crime and not on their free will. Some of the factors that may predispose individuals to crime are their social environment, biological factors, or psychological development (Gideon and Sung, 2011). The government has put in place both rehabilitation and correctional programs in prisons with an aim to rehabilitating convicted and suspected criminals to turn away from crime (Copadocia, n.d). The most commonly used corrective initiatives are vocational training, counseling programs, education, and training programs. Training programs aim to equip offenders with skills to support themselves once they are out of prison and avoid crime. Counseling helps offenders with undesirable behaviors to stop them. However, despite these rehabilitation efforts, crimes, and especially cases of recidivism and repeat offenders, remain high (United Nations, 2018). To address recidivism and repeat offenses, there is a need to focus more on offenders' reintegration into society.

Data from the United Nations indicate that over 70% of offenders engage in recidivism, raising questions on the effectiveness of the rehabilitation programs (United Nations, 2018). The report states that social reintegration is essential in addressing repeat offenses and therefore, social reintegration of offenders is the most important aspect of offender rehabilitation

Due to the different nature of crimes, not all offenders get time to learn vocational skills or other forms of education while serving their prison sentences. Some sentences are too short, and the convict serves the term and goes back to society (Reitzel et al., 2007). Some of the petty crimes, such as small property theft and traffic offenses, do not attract long jail terms. Such violations might be influenced by substance abuse, lack of technical or vocational skills, mental disorders, and psychological issues. The jail term's transient nature does not allow the convicts time to access medical care, counseling, or any technical training. Once the offenders are released, they are at a higher risk of reoffending since the underlying issue was not addressed (Ward et al., 2013). Therefore, such scenarios make it necessary for all offenders to undergo social reintegration programs to promote desistance. Some of the factors preventing effective social reintegration may include stigma, rejection, economic, social, and personal challenges. Since not all offenders will have access to rehabilitation programs within prison due to the duration of their jail terms, such an issue makes the social reintegration of offenders the most important aspect of offender rehabilitation (Duwe, 2017).

The proposition that offenders' social reintegration is more important than the rehabilitation programs is also relevant and supported biblically. According to the Bible, Galatians 6:1 states, "brethren, even if anyone is caught in any trespass, you who are spiritual, restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness, each one looking to yourself so that you too will not be tempted (New American Standard Bible, n.d). The scripture supports gently correcting others, being careful not to escalate the situation. Similarly, this proposal argues that social reintegration, which may mean accepting one back into society, must be done in love without hate, prejudice, and careful not to make them fall into previous offenses. Generally, reintegration programs are more important in reforming offenders than rehabilitation programs.

References

Copadocia, C.Y. (n.d). Community-based treatment for offenders in the Philippines: Old concepts, new approaches, best practices. https://www.unafei.or.jp/publications/pdf/RS_No54/No54_22VE_Yangco.pdf

Davis, C. Bahr, S.J. & Ward, C. (2013). The process of offender reintegration: Perceptions of what helps prisoners reenter society. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/258130769_The_process_of_offender_reintegration_Perceptions_of_what_helps_prisoners_reenter_society

Duwe, G. (2017). The use and impact of correctional programming for inmates on pre- and post-release outcomes. National Institute of Justice. https://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/nij/250476.pdf

Gideon, L. & Sung, H. (2011). Rethinking corrections: Rehabilitation, reentry, and reintegration.

New American Standard Bible. (n.d). Galatians 6:1. https://bible.knowing-jesus.com/Galatians/6/1

United Nations. (2018). The prevention of recidivism and the social integration of offenders. United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime.

Wormith, S. Althouse, R. & Reitzel, L. et al., (2007). The rehabilitation and reintegration of offenders: The current landscape and some future directions for correctional psychology. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/224882799_The_Rehabilitation_and_Reintegration_of_OffendersThe_Current_Landscape_and_Some_Future_Directions_for_Correctional_Psychology