Arriving at a Course of Action – Collaboration
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SBonds_CaseConceptualization080120181.docxRunning head: CASE CONCEPTUALIZATION 1
CASE CONCEPTUALIZATION 6
Case Conceptualization
Student’s Name: Samantha Bonds
Course: HS5993 Human Serv Integrative Project
Date: August 1, 2018
Work-Release Program in a Correctional Facility
Mark is a 28-year-old inmate at the Huntington Correctional Facility who is to be released in two months. The relevant facts in Mark's case are that he has been in a job placement training for three months. Mark must complete a mock job interview with the job placement training coordinator. He got an opportunity to participate in job placement training as a result of his actions and behaviors at the facility. He has completed his General Educational Development (GED) while in the facility and is currently in the Inmate Transition Unit of the facility. With his strengths and weaknesses identified, one can identify the issues and problems that arise from Mark’s case.
Most inmates are not comfortable and productive in traditional school environments. Mark successfully went through the GED program but still has an issue asking for help and communicating with authority figures. Fear of authority figures can emanate from a lack of self-trust. People who develop believing others know better than them can reduce one’s confidence in self (McNally & Heeren, 2018). Most of these people enjoy learning about others’ points of view and love seeking advice from second parties. However, it is challenging to seek for other people opinions when one fears to ask for help. Marks case shows that he fears to ask for help and this can be an indication of a lack of self-belief. The fear of asking for help and challenges communicating with authority figures can be dealt with to enable Mark to be more collaborative in his job.
There are several things that can be addressed to improve Mark’s situation which can even be emotional. Mark’s social environment can be addressed to ensure that he has no social anxiety. Social anxiety can make it challenging for one to talk, especially in group settings. Mark’s situation can also be analyzed to assess whether he has a natural fear of authority figures which can affect his nervousness. Mark has spent four years in the facility and he should already be comfortable asking questions. Dealing with Mark’s fear of asking questions could mean that this could improve his strengths in working with this hands and strong problem-solving skills.
Working with one’s hands can improve happiness levels. Mark’s strengths have been identified to be working with his hands and has strong problem-solving skills. Work programs in the facility seem to have prepared him for some skills that will make it easier for him getting work once he is released. Strong problem-solving skills are top needs for most if not all employers as they seek to increase their productivity.
Mark has also completed his GED during his time in the facility. This program goes deeper than just giving Mark a job training. Completion of this program and the job placement training may prepare Mark in handling the responsibility when released from the correctional facility. Mark has also gained practical and functional life skills-training that seems to have improved his problem-solving skills (Cortese & Khanna, 2016). Mark has also benefited with general technical skills knowledge that can be used when he is released. Unlike the technical skills, Mark seems to have acquired some soft skills that can help him become a functional member of the society.
Marks fear of authority figures can be as a result of respect towards. Respecting authority figures can be a soft skill gained among taking pride in one’s accomplishments. Through the job placement training program, Mark has worked individually and in groups together with his job placement case manager. Timeliness is also another soft skill that could have allowed Mark to complete the GED program and manage other programs in the facility. The value of teamwork is learned by successfully working in groups just like Mark is doing during his job placement training. Mark is privileged to have the opportunity to learn more about participation opportunities because he can communicate with his corrections facility staff.
For inmates nearing the end of the sentence like Mark can gain valuable rehabilitation and preparation through release programs. The Huntington Correctional Facility is offering a connection to the community that Mark can experience while still incarcerated. Mark’s release program is based on a transition that he needs to find a job and keep it. It is challenging learning the skills of finding and keeping a job because it involves much more details such as managing one’s income.
An income is one of the benefits of a work-release program. Mark needs to improve in some areas such as communication especially with those in authority. To enable Mark to have an opportunity of earning a more significant income, he has to fully participate in the work release programs (Duwe, 2015). Mark has an opportunity to apply for employment-related skills in his daily life through the program. Mark has to differentiate between respecting and fearing the authorities. If Mark respects authorities and takes direction, these skills will be while looking for and minting a job.
Mark should be improving his productivity levels and this will prepare him to remain the same in the society. A productive member of the society leads to a positive impact on themselves, their family, and the surrounding community which they join after their release (Cullen & Jonson, 2015). Mark’s fear of asking questions can be a limitation in his quest to sustain the values learned in the correctional facility. The job placement coordinator can assess Mark’s commitment and ability to sustain the positive values learned from the facility. Mark may be eligible to spend his last two months in a work-release facility to assess his commitment to sustaining his values and skills learned.
There are expectations Mark should meet while participating in the work release program. Under close monitoring, Mark should find and retain employment as a way of testing the skills learned in the facility. With the limited freedom afforded during this programs, Mark should be frequently and will be tested for substance abuse to avoid it affecting his recovering character. Mark will be allowed to leave The Huntington Correctional Facility to fulfill his employment responsibilities. During this time, Mark can receive treatment and/or therapy to control or remove his fear for people in authority and his fear of asking questions.
To ensure Mark has a safe and successful return to the community in the next two months, he may require post-release employment services. In other cases, offenders are engaged in activities to promote their retention, assist in re-employment in cases where they lose their jobs, and help with advancement opportunities (Cullen & Jonson, 2015). These post-release employment services can reduce Mark’s recidivism just as in other cases.
For a successful reentry, employment is considered one of the most crucial elements. The stigma of having been in prison is one barrier Mark might face to jobs. Some potential employers review and block applications for people with criminal records because in most job applications ex-convicts must disclose the nature of their convictions (McNally & Heeren, 2018). The job market is very tough and qualified applicants without prison records have a better chance to be hired. A lack of job opportunities for ex-convicts can often lead to reoffending.
Post-release employment services can increase employment opportunities available to Mark after he successfully completes his job placement training program. There should be available opportunities especially because it will be at this moment Mark will be reintegrating with the society which he requires to remain crime-free by getting and retaining employment. Employers can also be encouraged to make an individualized determination on Mark’s specific qualifications, for example, the relevance of his criminal record. These determinations are better as compared to bans or restrictions against people with criminal records.
Placement programs, job training, and employment programs are some of the requirements for a successful reentry. Employment will be important to Mark to reduce the chances of recidivism. Through employment, Mark should acknowledge the value of a job reducing the chances of his future incarceration. Work placement programs for Mark while still incarcerated can improve the chances of him getting full-time employment after release (Cullen & Jonson, 2015). Regular contact and case managers can be used to increase the chance of Mark finding and maintaining employment. Vocational assessments did not report Mark to have a challenge with substance abuse such as alcoholism which can reduce the odds of him working full-time.
Educational and employment rehabilitation are some of the most rewarding types of rehabilitation. The benefits gained from inmates who leave correctional facilities more educated that they were getting in trickle down to the community. There are even extended benefits to the inmate’s families, local economy, and tax payer’s benefit when fewer people are incarcerated (Duwe, 2015). The job placement training and other educational programs can benefit inmates with functional skills that go over and beyond the traditional academic programs. The power of knowledge is important for inmates because it helps them overcome the past while trying to build a better quality of life.
Mark can become a more productive member of the society by gaining and keeping a gainful employment. Self-support is beneficial both mentally and financially. The fulfillment of working hard can play a key role in improving the self-esteem of those re-entering the society.
References Cortese, M. J., & Khanna, M. M. (2016). The benefits of quizzing in content-focused versus skills-focused courses. Teaching and Learning in Psychology, 87. Cullen, F. T., & Jonson, C. L. (2015). Prisoner Reentry Programs. Crime and Justice, 517-575. Duwe, G. (2015). An outcome evaluation of a prison work release program. Criminal Justice Policy Review, 531-554. McNally, R. J., & Heeren, A. (2018). Social anxiety disorder as a densely interconnected network of fear and avoidance for social situations. Cognitive Therapy and Research, 103-113.
