Assignment 4

NORTHCENTRAL UNIVERSITY

ASSIGNMENT COVER SHEET

Student: Tereasa King

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CJ6010-8	Ellen Lemley
Criminal Justice Project	6

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Teresa,

Thank you for your first submission for the course. I think you have presented an interesting problem and one that is definitely in need of reducing. Given the amount of research on prisoner re-entry and programming research, you should be able to find plenty of research to complete this project. The Three Strikes aspect of your research questions may be hard to untangle because there is conflicting evidence of the effectiveness of these laws. One thing you may what to consider and may need to incorporate is the barriers former inmates face when released (a really good book on this subject, although a bit dated, is Joan Petersilia’s When Prisoners Come Home). You have a good start here. Let me know if you have any questions.

Dr. Lemley

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Purpose Statement: The Consequences of Repeat Offenders within the United States

The cost that taxpayers, the criminal justice system, and the United States government pay for the consequences of repeat offenders is a high one, without critical thinking and strategic planning it could become an economic downfall for our nation. “The Pew Center on the States found that slightly more than four in 10 offenders return to prison within three years, increasing prison spending that now costs states $52 billion annually (K. Johnson, 2011, para.2).

The United States is known to have the highest prison population of all the nations, in 2013 there was a reported number of 1.57 million inmates incarcerated across the United States (Flatow, 2014). A big reason for these dramatic numbers is the high rate of repeat offenders who return to prison at least once after being incarcerated their first time. “The number of inmates returning to state prisons within three years of release has remained steady for more than a decade, a strong indicator that prison systems are failing to deter criminals from re-offending “(K. Johnson, 2011, para.1).

Policies and Programs Pertaining to Repeat Offenders

The cost of housing inmates within the numerous correctional facilities across the United States is enormous; it would seem that such an expensive act would prove to be a successful solution, however the impact of incarceration not only appears to be unsuccessful but repetitive; because of this legislators have been forced to come up with new laws and programs to reduce the number of repeat offenders. The Three Strikes Law was introduced in the early 90’s; its main purpose was to deter offenders from returning back into the system. “The law was enacted as Chapter 12, Statutes of 1994 (AB 971, Jones) by the Legislature and by the electorate in Proposition 184. As its name suggests, the law requires, among other things, a minimum sentence of 25 years to life for three-time repeat offenders with multiple prior serious or violent felony convictions” (A Primer: Three Strikes,2005,p.1).

Other strategies that appear to be promising in decreasing the amount of repeat offenders who return to prison is preparation in the form of education; allowing inmates to get their GED while incarcerated helps to prepare them for the job market once they are released. The facts as to why offenders return to prison must also be looked at monies have also been allowed to fund counseling and treatment programs for inmates with mental and dependency issues.

Research Questions

The presence of new laws and programs to battle the growing number of repeat offenders gives hope to society that there may be a successful solution, however does the cost invested in The Three Strike Law for housing inmates longer even out if it is successful in reducing the rate of repeat offenders, and does spending money to educate inmates actually give them a change of heart once they are released, and why do offenders return into the system?

Although The Three Strike Law increased the number of inmates incarcerated in both state and federal institutions when it was first enacted, research has shown that over a period of time the number of repeat offenders returning to prison has decreased in numbers. “Figure 3 shows the growth of the second and third striker inmate population from 1994 through 2004. As the figure shows, the striker population in prison grew quickly in the first years of the law. However, the rate of growth has slowed significantly in recent years as many second strikers complete their sentence and are paroled” (A Primer: Three Strikes, 2005, p.3).

The saying that, “You can lead a horse to water but can’t make them drink” has been a concern for those who have been on the fence about dedicating funds to educate offenders who re-enter the system. Some feel that no matter how much education an inmate gets while incarcerated, if he is not willing to put it to use once he leaves the system it is only a waste. However there are others who feel equipping repeat offenders with the tools and treatment needed to survive in a growing society could make a substantial difference.” A 2013 study by the Rand Corp. think tank concluded that spending $140,000 to $174,000 on education programs for a hypothetical group of 100 inmates would save as much as $1 million in re-incarceration costs over a three-year period” (Barrett,2014,p.1).

Looking at the facts as to why repeat offenders return to prison could be a mile stone in reducing returns and decreasing millions of dollars. Once it is understood as to whether offenders may have issues which may be mental, drug dependant, or illiteracy and providing programs such as Narcotic Anonymous, Alcoholic Anonymous, Mental Health, and GED programs could be the key in preventing some repeat offenders from returning back to prison. A report in The Wall Street Journal stated, “Continuing to invest in diversion and treatment initiatives is the best strategy to maintain a stable and successful criminal-justice system” (Barrett, 2014, p.2).

The Importance of Research and why we should continue

The importance of research to the knowledge tree of Criminal Justice is crucial, researching the laws and programs adopted when battling the high numbers of repeat offenders is a sure way to know not only what works best but also what characteristics are needed to incorporate successful programs and laws. “Studies of successful programs have shown they share certain characteristics. The characteristics and implementation of program’s can be tested by assessment tools” (V. Miceli, 2009, p.2). The more research done the better we become at mandating laws which will not only protect the victim of crimes but also the offender.

Conclusion

Repeat offenders continue to be an issue within our criminal justice system, however with the research of successful laws and programs we are on the right track to controlling and lowering the number of inmates who filter in and out of the system. In doing so our nation will save millions of dollars which could be used within ours school systems; create new jobs, or programs used to council and treat offenders who do not respond to an old way of incarceration.

References

Barrett, D. (2014). Prison firm CCA seeks to reduce number of repeat offenders. The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved from http://www.wsj.com/articles/prison-firm-cca-seeks-to-reduce-number-of-repeat-offenders-1410561176

Flatow, N. (2014). The United States has the largest prision population in the World and its growing. ThinkProgress. Retrieved from http://thinkprogress.org/justice/2014/09/17/3568232/the-united-states-had-even-more-prisoners-in-2013/

Johnson, K. (2012, April 13). Study:Prisions failing to deter repeat criminals in 41 states. USA Today, p. 1.

Miceli, V. (2009). Analyzing the Effectiveness of Rehabilitation Programs (Doctoral dissertation). Retrieved from http://digitalcommons.uri.edu/srhonorsprog/158

A Primer: Three Strikes: The Impact After More Than a Decade. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.lao.ca.gov/2005/3_strikes/3_strikes_102005.htm