Reentry, Reform and Recidivism
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Reentry, Reform and Recidivism
Literature Review Assignment #3 for Week/Module Seven
Angela Rivers
Douglas Mock
Liberty University
PLCY 804-Spring 2023
February 19, 2023
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Reentry, Reform and Recidivism
Abstract
How do we change a system that has been compromising, uninformed, unwanted, and
unfair when it comes to being knowledgeable about recidivism, reentry, and reform? I plan to
continue to explore the research topic of reentry, reform, and recidivism. As well as reentry
programs for ex-offenders. As we look at America’s justice system and how it operates in its
entirety when it comes to individuals who have been incarcerated, we see that there is a lack of
resources, employment, education and needed health care such as therapy and mental health
services. We understand that the individual is being released from prison because they have paid
their debt to society or being released for good behavior, but resources are available to keep this
individual from returning to the life of crime they once lived or even committing a new offense
that could give them more time.
I have worked in the social services field for over 20 years, and it utterly amazes me the
lack of resources there has been to provide after care or post release services to individuals being
released either from prison or a rehabilitation center. We want to provide them with the proper
resources for them to become productive citizens of society and want to reduce the recidivism
rate but how can we do that if we are lacking the resources, the fund and the know how to do
this? How can we expand programming and employment opportunities if we are not
professionally training staff to meet these individuals where they are at and help them address
barriers that may hinder them from being successful outside of prison. Some of the laws that are
in place block a lot of individuals wanting to have a second chance at life and that is the
disappointing part. The Second Chance act established in 2007, created ways for prisoners to
have access to programming that will help them in setting up a life that will allow them to pick
up the pieces from when their lives fell apart.
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Reentry, Reform and Recidivism
Introduction
Reentry programs will help those individuals who have been released from prison to become
productive citizens of society after they have paid their debt to society. In my first literature
review, I discussed about reentry and the importance of preparing a former offender to return into
society to become a model citizen. With reentry programs and programming, this will allow an
ex-offender to have a chance at a more legalized life and a chance to give back to their
community by becoming a productive citizen. Reentry allows an ex-offender to return to their
community and or the place in which they committed their offence and become a hardworking
citizen that can address barriers and not return to the negative lifestyle they once lived. We must
be open and understanding to the fact that this individual made a mistake, but they have paid for
their thoughtless actions and are ready to prove that they have profoundly changed.
In my literature review, I wanted to paint a picture of understanding when it comes to recidivism,
reentry, and reform. My main three research questions are as follows; What are the benefits of re-
entry programs for ex-offenders? What are some of the programs locally that have a successful
re-entry program and how do they work for the communities? What is the overall percentage rate
of offenders that have been released from prison and or county jail that has returned to the streets
without resources, housing or plan for productivity? I believe in our American justice system
and that we can give individuals a second chance at being better the second time around. By
providing positive programming that gives ex-offenders skills that allow them to be employable,
providing mental and emotional support through therapy, fair and adequate housing along with
education and training, we can help reduce recidivism in the community and prevent offenders
from returning to prison.
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Reentry, Reform and Recidivism
We must look at the bigger picture which is continuing to imprison individuals for minor
offences or giving an offender a stiffer and or extreme sentence for an offense that is now legal
or considered a misdemeanor charge. We must believe that with the proper funding,
programming, and social services support that we are creating an outlet in which ex-offenders
can trust the authorities meaning they themselves, believe that the justice system will work for
them in a more positive and effective form. They will again, believe in a world and in a
government system that will allow them to live in their community amongst other residents and
not be looked at as still being a criminal; a nothing and or a nobody but an actual human being
that has been given a second chance to get it right.
The Purpose of Reentry
Reentry refers to the transition of offenders from prisons or jails back into the
community. Reentry programs are intended to aid, and help incarcerated individuals with a
successful transition to their community after they have been released from prison (Travis,
2005). Reentry cannot be defined as something new for individuals that have committed an
offense, but something put in place to make sure they are more productive citizens of their
environment. Individuals who have been released from prison return to their communities to
make the change in their lives that have been needed. By choosing reentry programming, this
gives these individuals an opportunity to prove to the citizens in their community that they have
been reformed and can make something of their life.
Reentry programs and reentry courts were established to help individuals who have been
incarcerated for an extended period succeed at “reentering" society after their sentence has ended
or the judge has commuted their sentence for whatever reason (Travis, 2005). The thought
behind completing this process was to try and reduce recidivism, improving public safety, and
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Reentry, Reform and Recidivism
eventually budgeting money that would help save money in the process. A focus that was
primarily geared toward reentry and retention efforts, reentry was goal focused on removing
barriers to successful reentry, due to individuals who have completed their time in the justice
system and paid their debt to this society, are able to find employment, adequate housing and
outside programming that will keep them headed in the right direction. It is also geared towards
those who have children and want to provide for their families by having a life of sustainability,
purpose, and another chance to correct their former wrongs and head in the right direction
(Travis, 2005).
The past few years, the many states have discussed with top government officials the
importance of having a successful reentry program and how the success of the various programs
have been a success thus far. Discussions of the importance of each re-entry program has also
taken place and each state has had their own individual success rate. Working with our various
referral agencies, community partners and police districts, communities have been able to come
up with barrier removal essentials that have seemed to work out to a point where the individual
was able to meet their needs as well as successfully complete programming, find employment,
meet probation obligations, return to school and or college as well as find and sustain housing.
As we help individuals after they have been incarcerated, we have seen a substantial amount of
positive feedback and citizens moving in the right direction after they been given a chance as
well as receiving the help that they so need and desire.
The FIRC, established by the Attorney General in January 2011 (Fetsco, 2013),
comprises twenty federal agencies representing a significant executive branch commitment to
coordinating reentry efforts and advancing effective reentry policies. It is premised on the
recognition that many federal agencies have a major stake in prisoner reentry. Unbelievably,
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Reentry, Reform and Recidivism
many agencies in Ohio along with other states, are working hard to make sure that (Fetsco, 2013)
the existing reentry programs and the programs being created for the future, are successful. They
are more interested in these programs taking off from the ground up and helping these
individuals take off in the right direction and to keep them from making the mistakes that they
have done in the past.
Programming that is offered to offenders who have been released to become citizens of
society after being incarcerated, can be essential to them being reformed and rehabilitated after
they have paid their dues for their crimes. Programing is essential to the rehabilitation of the
individual and therefore it is presented to an individual so they can survive after they have been
in the system after so much time. This helps them to not return to what they did to receive their
sentence, and this helps them see and visualize their self-worth today. Programs that are effective
and provide opportunities for the population of past incarcerated individuals develop skills, learn
techniques they have never used before, and continuously improve in jumping over hurdles that
may have stopped them and or held up their process after they have transitioned themselves back
into the community (Beck and Harrison, 2006).
There have been several debates about the importance of reentry and how it can be
effective for individuals who are released from prison (Beck and Harrison, 2006). A lot of
questions have been asked but also, there have been many answers to these same questions. If
you do not allow a person to show and improve, they will return to what they know. They will do
what they need to do to survive, and this becomes the revolving door effect. You will see the
same individuals in and out of jail for the same crime or similar crime, new crimes and in some
cases, just being with someone who engaged in a crime (Caporizzo, 2011). They returned to
what they knew that would help them survive or what they have been taught or shown to do to
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Reentry, Reform and Recidivism
survive. This is where a community must come together and create valuable programming to
help our incarcerated youth, return offenders that are people and those who may have an
addiction that causes them to return to a repetitive pattern of troubling behavior.
A program that incorporates demonstrated principles and processes that have shown to
reduce recidivism through improved cognitive and behavioral functioning, evidenced by one or
more outcome evaluations and requires specific facilitator training; Or a program based on a
sound theoretical foundation in which the instructional design is focused on learning and
performance and requires subject matter expertise of the facilitator (Caporizzo, 2011).
Programming for reentry individuals should address barriers and learning capabilities. Most
individuals want to be able to have barriers addressed before receiving employment or even
looking for employment. An individual that is being reentered into society after many years
behind walls where they had no say about their lives, what was the plan for the day or what the
future may hold for them. Now that communities in every state have some type of programming,
it is only fair that we introduce these programs to those individuals so that they feel that there is a
goal ahead of this long road and that there is some light and hope that they can survive in the
world as they know it.
When we think of federalism and the Bible, it can be compared to a religious comparison.
The Bible describes the relationship that was between the Israelites and God as the Israelites
being God’s people (forumfed.org). Then it goes on to state the relationship with the government
and the relationship with the twelve tribes if Israel and that being the government in a somewhat
of a federal term definition (forumfed.org) Being that this is defined as a theological description,
it drives a political idea of what and how the covenant carries itself during the Bible and it also
displays a form of constitutionalism ( forumfed.org). Humans during that Biblical age created
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Reentry, Reform and Recidivism
agreements or more so even so-called acts that gained consent from one another on a mutual
basis. By doing things this way, they were able to oversee business and conduct their
constitutional affairs. When we examine it closely, constitutionalism and consent are both
theories that are a fundamental practice in representing federalism and they are presented in the
Word of God through scripture. It demonstrates the relationship that has been established
between humans’ beings and God especially when dealing with the ways of the world and how it
is now and in history (forumfed.org).
Christian Worldview
As we look at how deeply concerned our prison facilities and government legislators are
about finding ways to better reentry and reform as well as reducing recidivism, we must ask
ourselves and these officials, what is working? How can we make sure that former prisoners and
ex-offenders are not repeating this pattern of unexcused behavior? What are we providing for
them to address barriers and meat life goals after being released? Looking back through the
years, it has concluded that our government has invested a ton of financial funding and time to
create living conditions to house women and men who have committed offensives that cause
them to be locked up behind bars. Instead of creating more jails, we need to create programming
that gives these men and women mercy and grace that is granted to us daily. Even though
legislators and government officials have tried extensively to reduce recidivism and to create
programming for entry and reform, it has by far, been at a standstill instead of moving forward.
There are still barriers for ex-offenders returning to society.
The Bible says, “Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things
passed away; behold, new things have come.” – 2 Corinthians 5:17. This means, that men and
women should be allowed to renew themselves by becoming new creatures after they have paid
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Reentry, Reform and Recidivism
their debt to society. They should not have to have their past hung over their heads like a
chandelier. They should be able to have the best quality of life like anyone else.
Theory/Model
Public policy surrounding recidivism, reentry and reform can be examined as the labeling
theory. Labeling theory does not give a reason the crime was committed but the result is that the
individual became incarcerated a people return to our communities from prison each year.
Thousands of prisoners are released each year but due to the lack of funding, supportive services,
barriers that are legally hindering, low employment wages due to their criminal record and the
common human stigma mentality once released. How does prison officials, society, or the
government, ensure that reform produces successful criminal justice? To figure out success in the
prison system, the elected officials have been steadily trying to reduce incarceration rates and
reduce recidivism in their perspective cities and states. An increasingly number of prisoners
means fewer crimes are being committed. With few fewer prisoners who were likely to return to
prison but did not, means the prison system is effective. The value of the prison system is not in
locking away citizens permanently, but instead to keep people out of prisons by creating the
conditions for a law-abiding life.
One of the models in which recidivism, reentry and reform exemplify is restorative
justice, which is said to be explained as a broad set of approaches which focuses on undoing the
communal damage of crime by restoring the bonds of the community through restitution and
reconciliation (Bacote and Perrin, 2019). The Model called Good Lives Model, which adapts the
rehabilitation of an ex-offender which is centrally based about knowing and understanding that
the crime in which offenders are released from prison and are in search of a good life. They are
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wanting to live a good life after being in prison and living by facility rules for so long. They want
to show that they are new creatures and just want a chance to show the world.
Literature Review Findings
There is a substantial number of former offenders who are continuing to transition back
into their perspective communities for correctional institution in which they previously paid their
debt to society. As policymakers and practitioners who are in the criminal justice field that
continue to find many ways to introduce offenders back to society without it putting a financial
strain on the state budget. The need for positive programming, case management and mental
health services so that ex-offenders will not return to prison will allow them to address those
many barriers. Although there are many steps to take in reference to reentry and the returning
home of an ex-offender after serving a sentence in any jail in American can be an arduous task
for the African American, male ex-offenders, there are still programs put in place to help those
individuals but there is a lack of funding for these types of programs in the United States.
Reentry and reform has been one of the top priorities when discussing the state of the
prison system and how to rehabilitate a former offender. It has been a constant topic of
discussion throughout the twentieth century, even though it has not been in vogue for many
decades (Harvard Law Review, 2010). The overabundance of discussions surrounding reentry
and reform, have a very complex history in the US. Bottom line: "Effective programming
requires money, effort, and a recommitment to rehabilitation. But it is not only an investment in
safe prisons and jails. It is also an investment in safe and healthy communities" (Gibbons &
Katzenbach, 2006). Reentry and reform is a critical to face as well as overcome. The end results
are that the collateral consequences of being a convict which limit the convicted individuals
social, economic, and political opportunities after release (Pinard, 2006). If society wants ex-
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offenders to succeed, to be rehabilitated, then the proper tools must be given to them while they
are behind bars so that when they have been released, they come out knowing what awaits them
upon their return. They must be prepared for the moment of release to reenter society and
reunite with their families and to build lost relationships within their own communities. . Reentry
begins inside the prison with programs that provide inmates with the stability necessary to
transition back into their communities (Muhlhausen, 2010). Offender reentry programs would be
an excellent way to narrow a debate about rehabilitation, but we have to make sure we are giving
them the proper tools to cut down on recidivism.
Some of the necessary and essential powers that officials locally tend to love is that they
have the authority to raise all revenues and to allocate those various revenues as they see fit via
public expenditures (Muhlhausen, 2010). State governments, by means of their own superior
constitutional position, have significant powers legally that will allow them to regulate their local
finance. Does each state have a state aid system that is in order, well designed and can be
executed at full capacity? That is hard to state in this financial climate especially after still trying
to recover from a pandemic. This allows local officials a broader sense of flexibility financially
in responding to funding and financially worry by trying to provide promising programming to
ex-offenders entering their communities once again. This flexibility that this offers, is
particularly valuable during periods of economic downturn (Muhlhausen, 2010).
can do to the economy but believe that it is an easy fix, and it is not. This was evident the
past two years where everyone has suffered some type of fiscal distress (Muhlhausen, 2010).
One of the reasons that it is such and unevenness is that state aid tends to ebb and flow
with changing state-level economic conditions. Moreso ever, intergovernmental aid that is
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Reentry, Reform and Recidivism
provided by the state is those resources that are particularly distributed through aid that is
statutory aid policies and not really protected by each states constitution (Berman, 1995).
It is forever linked to state budget battles therefore, not able to be used and or moved
when needed. Governors and state legislators are constantly and always hurrying to balance their
perspective budgets that will eventually be the talk of the town and receiving negative publicity
and feedback from the citizens from that state., are simply more likely to risk citizen backlash aid
cuts that are significant especially during those periods when the budget hits a shortfall. What is
more, state lawmakers across the country seem to be looking with decreasing favorability on the
idea of that can cause lawmakers and other government officials to think the state is clearly
“being an ATM machine for local governments” (Rinard, 1999).
As the state has a heavy influence on local governments, the ability to balance the states
revenues and flows of expenditures are overseen in numerous ways. This allows officials to see
the state of local financial distress. One of the things it completes first is it calculates the degree
to which certain states participate by either reducing and or adding revenue that is local to the
capacity in which the policy balance between state granted aid and shared revenue, imposes state
controls over city tax and the severity in which they do this (Berman, 1995). Even though most
states do show that they have a very balanced approach to policy at the local revenue front, there
are various governments by states that have shown great challenges by giving them access to
intergovernmental aid while holding back financial goals by suppressing them.
How Reentry and Aftercare Programs on Recidivism has Impacted Offenders
In this article, recidivism continues to illuminate the discussion. The goal is to address
barriers for prisoners once they have been released from prison. To have programming that
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addresses reentry and reform so that these ex-offenders can be acclimated back to their
communities in a positive light, and they are given a chance to prove that they are willing to do
what is required of them to be productive citizens and to not return behind bars. Recidivism rates
are noted by the criminal justice system, legislators, grant funders, and media outlets to identify
successful ways to reduce return incarceration and it is also used to see what has succeeded or
failed (Klingele, 2019).
There are clear costs to recidivism. In particular, “high rates of recidivism mean more
crime, more victims, and more pressure on an already overburdened criminal justice system”
(Caporizzo, 2011) as many ex-offenders recidivate and return to incarceration within the first few
years of their release. More than usual, return to prison repeatedly which creates issues in
America especially when it comes to funding. The reentry and reform of ex-offenders are
considered an important piece of agenda that equals racial in justice. African American men are
incarcerated in higher numbers than any other race. Individuals that from neighborhoods that are
poor and impoverished have the higher number of returning prisoners due to their community
surroundings. As we look at the numbers, we see that the lower income and poorer
neighborhoods have the higher number of recidivisms.
Post Prison Release Impact
Correctional changes or movements are often associated with prisoner reentry. In the
past, it has been easily said that the get-tough era is ending (Lucken,2020). According to this
change, once-dominant support for prison entry, containing risk, and mass incarceration now is
giving way to the opposite. To ensure offenders' success, it is essential to provide them with
programs to meet their needs before and after release. A new policy focus recognizes that most
criminals return to their communities after their sentences have been completed. Reentry as a
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movement represents what most legislators calls a "resurgence" of interest across research,
policy, and practice in reintegrating prisoners (Visher, Lattimore, Barrick and Tueller, 2017).
When we think about the war on drugs, we think about the mass incarceration rate and
how many individuals are imprisoned every year for minor offenses and how much time they
receive. As we look back as far as the early 1970’s-1980’s era, violations involving drugs were
dealt with by giving them stiffer sentences than most offenses had ever received. This was due to
the heroin and crack epidemic being larger than any government affiliate could control. Hence,
stiffer sentencing policies were put in place. Arrests, convictions and imprisonment rates of drug
traffickers, shippers and user were increasingly high especially in neighborhoods that were
considered low income. During this time, these rates increased, and prisons started to see an
increasing number of offenders which started the overcrowding in our jail systems. Because of
this, most of the offenders that were incarcerated were people of color and other low-income
minorities. As the years passed by, the three-strike law was put in place for repeat offenders and
the result was a life sentence for offenses in which street drugs were involved. This contributed
to the high recidivism rate and causing individuals not to stay out of prison longer than three
years.
Time to Rethink Reentry
Every year, there is over 600,000 prisoners who are released from state and feral custody
and every year, some of those individuals find it difficult to return successfully to their
communities and find themselves back behind bars either by committing the same crime or being
charged with a different offense that may potential give them a stiffer sentence (Orrell and Ryan,
2020). This is understood, that due to individuals committing repeat and new offenses, the
recidivism rate continues to climb higher and higher. This has continued to puzzle legislators,
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legal authorities, researchers, and criminologists (Rivers, 2022). Many have stated that the justice
system is extremely harsh by giving harsher and longer sentences to repeat offenders keeping
them hindered by criminal profiles as well as continuing to keep them incarcerated.
Many have pointed out racism within the criminal justice system along with family
challenges, and a host of social and economic challenges that put a negative block on offenders
reentering into their communities and or neighborhoods (Orrell and Ryan, 2020). Many
organizations via state, federal government level officials, have given billions of dollars to have
put aside to provide strategies to address barriers and to provide positive programming for
offenders upon their release. A lot of these programs have been designed to help prisoners not
continue to go through the constant open door to prison. These programs have been designed to
slow down recidivism and not build it back up. There are some programs that work in a positive
way and some programs that are invalid. The solution must come out to be positive in the end by
finding ways to make sure programming works and that the end results are programming works
and there is reduction in ex-offenders returning to prison once they have been released.
Findings
There is a substantial number of former offenders who are continuing to transition back
into their perspective communities for correctional institution in which they previously paid their
debt to society (Orrell and Ryan, 2020). As policymakers and practitioners who are in the
criminal justice field that continue to find numerous ways to introduce offenders back to society
without it putting a financial strain on the state budget (Rivers, 2022). The need for positive
programming, case management and mental health services so that ex-offenders will not return
to prison will allow them to address those many barriers. Although there are many steps to take
in reference to reentry and the returning home of an ex-offender after serving a sentence in any
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jail in American can be an arduous task for the African American, male ex-offenders, there are
still programs put in place to help those individuals but there is a lack of funding for these types
of programs in the United States (Orrell and Ryan, 2020). .
These individuals are trying hard to not return to the life they once lived and want to
make a better life for themselves but without the right resources and financial backing, this can
be a tough pill to swallow (Orrell and Ryan, 2020). Ex-offenders who are released from prisons,
normally do not have adequate preparation, and are presented with inadequate assistance and
resources, which makes their reentry into communities incredibly challenging and sometimes
impossible to oversee (Rivers, 2022). This is where law and policymakers must come together to
put plans into place where proper programming, housing and health services are funded enough
to make sure that ex-offenders do not have a reason to return to what got them paying back the
state at one of its jails (Rivers, 2022).
Some of the necessary and essential powers that officials locally tend to love is that they
have the authority to raise all revenues and to allocate those various revenues as they see fit via
public expenditures (Orrell and Ryan, 2020). State governments, by means of their own superior
constitutional position, have significant powers legally that will allow them to regulate their local
finance. Does each state have a state aid system that is in order, well designed and can be
executed at full capacity? That is hard to state in this financial climate especially after still trying
to recover from a pandemic. This allows local officials a broader sense of flexibility financially
in responding to funding and financially worry by trying to provide promising programming to
ex-offenders entering their communities once again. This flexibility that this offers, is
particularly valuable during periods of economic downturn.
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Reentry, Reform and Recidivism
Due to governments locally, vary widely in and of their ability to increase and or decrease
their ability to raise critical own-source revenues, research continuously shows that the potential
of aid that is provided by the state, helps to smooth over in some jurisdictions depending on
where they are. By doing this method, some funds can be allocated to reentry and reform
programs without damaging the current funds that have been set aside for other programming.
By allocating funds that will strictly be to either reconstruct the current program or add to what is
already allocated (Rivers, 2022). This way, fiscal distress can be minimized, and states can rise
from the treacherous turmoil that they suffer from financially. A lot of people do not understand
what fiscal distress can do to the economy but believe that it is an easy fix, and it is not. This was
evident the past two years where everyone has suffered some type of fiscal distress (Rivers,
2022).
One of the reasons that it is such and unevenness is that state aid tends to ebb and flow
with changing state-level economic conditions (Rivers, 2022). Moreso ever, intergovernmental
aid that is provided by the state is those resources that are particularly distributed through aid that
is statutory aid policies and not really protected by each states constitution. It is forever linked to
state budget battles therefore, not able to be used and or moved when needed. Governors and
state legislators are constantly and always hurrying to balance their perspective budgets that will
eventually be the talk of the town and receiving negative publicity and feedback from the
citizens from that state., are simply more likely to risk citizen backlash aid cuts that are
significant especially during those periods when the budget hits a shortfall. What is more, state
lawmakers across the country seem to be looking with decreasing favorability on the idea of that
can cause lawmakers and other government officials to think the state is clearly “being an ATM
machine for local governments.”
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Reentry, Reform and Recidivism
As the state has a heavy influence on local governments, the ability to balance the states
revenues and flows of expenditures are managed in several ways. This allows officials to see the
state of local financial distress. One of the things it completes first is it calculates the degree to
which certain states participate by either reducing and or adding revenue that is local to the
capacity in which the policy balance between state granted aid and shared revenue, imposes state
controls over city tax and the severity in which they do this (Rivers, 2022). Even though most
states do show that they have a very balanced approach to policy at the local revenue front, there
are various governments by states that have shown great challenges by giving them access to
intergovernmental aid while holding back financial goals by suppressing them (Rivers, 2022).
Federalism in Recidivism, Reentry and Reform
Researchers have shown through the years how prisoners are at risk of recidivism and
how it can be reduced with efficient and effective programming. Programming that offers an
evidence-based curriculum and shows gainful employment, adequate housing, and address
barrier removal. Evidence based curriculum for ex-offenders will target the needs of that
individual where they are able to be successful in returning to society and partaking in
programming that will be beneficial to them as the result. Rehabilitation programs should have
certain principles to be an effective intervention. These principles include services that are
intensive and work on the behavior of offenders (Lowenkamp, Latessa and Smith, 2006). High-
risk offenders are normally the main topics when it comes to this type of programming.
Programs that have been created, should focus on the need in those areas that include attitudes
that are not as social as others, the value and beliefs of criminal behavior, associations of people
places and things that are negative, associations, and alcohol and drug use. Staff, offenders, and
the programs themselves, should be able to adjust quickly and appropriately to changing risk-
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needs (Lowenkamp, Latessa and Smith, 2006). Reentry and reform should offer prevention
within the community in which they returned to.
Elements in rehabilitation programs are essentially the same, though they vary on focus.
The risk-need assessments guide what elements are used. These elements can include but not
limited to residential supervision, training in social skills, training in coping skills, drug
treatment, and education. Therapy for behaviors for offenders that need to be more sociable are
often offered on observational learning, researching one’s behavior, training on being assertive,
and showing them how they can control their own behavior and thoughts. Therapy that is labeled
as cognitive, emphasizes on thoughts and beliefs that can possibly be irrational but have ways in
which they can be changed to rational thoughts and or beliefs. By doing this, they are being
taught coping skills so that they are to problem solve, understand self-instruction and learn how
to mediate during stressful situations. When considering reentry and reform, education has
consistently been a huge element in correctional rehabilitation. Diploma and GED programs
have always taken the forefront within prison and its education system but now, college courses
have been incorporated and more prisoners are leaving prison with wither a two year or four year
degree. This has become a common formality within the prison system. The universal effect that
programming has usually spreads from state to state. This allows state officials to see what works
and where funding can be effective within reentry and reform. Effective programs must be well
designed and implemented around sound theory, with qualified, involved leadership. It must also
use a standardized risk-need-responsivity assessment, target the behaviors that produce crime,
deliver service and treatment effectively, and prepare offenders who are released to remain in the
community (Lowenkamp, Latessa and Smith, 2006). Well educated, qualified, experience,
trained and supervised staff is another large factor in success (Lowenkamp, Latessa and Smith,
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Reentry, Reform and Recidivism
2006). The support from inside the facility is needed so that when introduced to the public, it can
be somewhat relatable and understood. When you conduct a risk assessment, this is also a key
component to reentry and reform when it comes to programming. Stakeholders and funders want
to know the risk of what will and wont work as well as how to incorporate what will work. Risk
assessment provides facilities with the ability to differentiate between low-risk and high-risk
offenders. Risk in this case refers to the chance of offender recidivism. Risk does not always
refer to the criminal and the crime the committed or whether it was a misdemeanor or felony.
Offenders who were or at a lower risk do not necessarily need to be introduced to reentry and
reform but may be introduced to a type of diversion programming so that they can ovoid
offending again. Low risk offenders may be at high risk if they are introduced into a chaotic
environment and or lifestyle but if they are offered diversion activities, they more than likely will
not reoffend reducing their chance of recidivism. Services with more supervision are usually
introduced to high-risk offenders who will more likely reoffend and return to prison.
Conclusion
It is crucial for successful prisoner reentry that they find and maintain a job. Employment
is associated with lower rates of reoffending, and higher wages are associated with lower
criminal activity rates. Former prisoners, however, face tremendous challenges finding and
maintaining legitimate employment. They also have limited education, no training skills and
extraordinarily little to no work history and or experience. Along with this, during the period in
which they were incarcerated, they have lacked the skills to obtain adequate job skills to be able
to find meaningful employment. By lacking in this area, it diminishes their hope to find
employment that will allow them to survive and flourish. In addition, employers tend to avoid
hiring former prisoners due to their reluctance.
21
Reentry, Reform and Recidivism
Prisoners and ex-offenders suggest that the key to staying out of prison is having stable
employment, adequate housing, and family support. Offenders normally start working on these
things prior to their release. Addressing barriers and housing normally come after they have
settled into their communities and from that point, offenders are trying to get established. I
decided to address recidivism, reentry, and reform as my research question due to family
members being incarcerated and having trouble addressing barriers once they returned home. I
have also worked in social services for over 20 years and see the impact of the lack of
community resources and funding when it comes to reentry and funding to fund typical back to
work programs. Also, by being accepted into Leadership Ohio, this allows me to be a voice for
those seeking a second chance to get their life right. God grants us grace and mercy daily and we
need to look at the compassion that Christ gives us. We need to come together as a community to
find ways where offenders will not return to prison by allowing them to have the basic rights as
though who have not committed an offense. Forgive those as we would want people to forgive
us.
Appendix
PLCY 804 Literature Review Worksheet
1. Topic: Recidivism, Reentry and Reform
2. Research Question: What are the challenges of Recidivism, Reentry and Reform?
3. Database(s) Searched: https://bjs.ojp.gov/topics/recidivism-and-reentry
4. Keywords Used in Search: Recidivism, Reentry and Reform
Author/Dat
e
Keywords Notes1
Braga A. A.,
Piehl A. M.,
Hureau D.
(2009)
Returning to the
community
While prisoner reentry has received an elevated level of funding and policy
interest, there is still little rigorous scientific evidence to guide authorities in
developing reentry programs to enhance public safety, particularly for
managing the most dangerous prisoners.
Cannonier, C.,
Galloway
Burke, M., &
Mitchell, E.
(2021).
The impact of a reentry
and aftercare program on
recidivism.
. Since most incarcerated offenders will eventually be released from prison,
recidivism is inevitable
Favors, J. A.
(2018).
Deconstructing Re-entry:
Identifying Issues, Best
Practices & Solutions
What programs that have been put in place for ex-offender’s work and how
does an offender stay out of prison?
1
23
Reentry, Reform and Recidivism
Garrett, B. L.
(2019)
Federal criminal risk
assessment
Federal decision making involves risk assessments across a wide range of
regulations.
Klingele C.
M. (2019)
Measuring change: From
rates of recidivism to
markers of desistance
The criminal justice system is accountable for crime reduction, which is one
of its primary responsibilities. Recidivism rates of those subjected to various
criminal justice interventions, such as treatment programs and imprisonment,
are often used as measures of the system's effectiveness.
Lucken, K.
(2020). zz
Game changer? the impact
of the reentry movement
on post-prison
supervision.
For two decades, prisoner reentry has been a dominant focus of correctional
policy. There is a strong current of reform that underlies this policy focus,
which should result in noticeably different correctional practices and
conditions today.
Miller, L. L.
(2011)
The local and the legal:
American federalism and
the carceral state.
In the United States, criminal law enforcement is multi-jurisdictional. It is the
responsibility of local, state, and federal prosecutors to charge criminals. How
authority should be distributed between these levels of government is an
enduring question in criminal law.
Rich, L. A.
(2015)
A federal certificate of
rehabilitation program:
supplying federal ex-
offenders more
opportunity for successful
reentry
The prison system is overcrowded, ex-offenders have trouble reentering
society, and minority communities are disproportionately impacted.
Russell, S. F.
(2009)
Rethinking recidivist
enhancements: The role of
prior drug convictions in
federal sentencing.
Recidivist sentencing enhancements, which increase criminal sentences for
defendants with prior convictions, are a prominent feature of the federal
criminal justice system.
Scott-
Hayward, C.
S. (2011)
The failure of parole:
Rethinking the role of the
state in reentry.
Post release can be truly more complicated than what people think. Even
when a prisoner has completed reentry programming, they still may be put on
parole for their safety as well as the publics safety.
References
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community: An evaluation of the Boston Reentry Initiative. Journal of Research in Crime
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Reentry, Reform and Recidivism
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26
Reentry, Reform and Recidivism
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prisoner-reentry-programs
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