Re-entry Programs
Re-entry Programs
The struggles and needs of ex-offenders are supposed to be treated by the rapidly growing prisoner reentry programs in the United States. However, as emphasized by Veeh, Renn, & Pettus-Davis, many fail in their process of assisting felons upon release as they more often have co-occurring needs that need to be tackled by individualized treatment exercises. With the help of the Reentry Well-Being Assessment Tool (RWAT), which is a new practice tool, we are providing a guide that will assist in individualizing treatment exercises, to reach reduced crime, improved well-being for the individual, as well as maintaining a program that best matches the complex needs of each person. The RWAT is a step in the right direction to help increase the chances of successful reentry. However, projects like these and policies like the Second Chance Act, face huge challenges with working efficiently due to already existing policies that contradict their purpose.[4]
In order to reach our goal of successful reentry and reduced recidivism we need to offer prisoners proper assistants starting at the time of incarceration. Robert Hood, the warden of the Supermax, the United States most secure correctional facility, have developed a three phase plan to assist offenders with successful reentry.
Preparation
Hood believes that preparations should start as early as the first day of incarceration and not six months before they are to be released. With the help of an individualized education plan (IEP) developed as a tool to help individuals work with their strengths and weaknesses, the goal would be to establish a social contract based on communication and positive reinforcement. The preparation tool helps reentry program workers to establish relationships with the inmates, getting to know them and setting goals based on what the inmate finds important. They will be able to direct and encourage them into taking classes and programs such as parenting classes or programs on alternatives to violence in exchange for increased visitation. Shown improvements in behavior could aslo lead to incentives such as better housing unit or a new job in the prison. [5]
Transition
“We can’t say we want inmates to stay out of trouble and be self-sufficient without connecting them to the resources to do that,” said Hood. Not only do we need to assist inmates to find safe housing and stable jobs, but we need to look into more immediate needs that are often taken for granted. Upon their release many ex-offenders don’t have valid ID, appropriate clothing , or access to a phone. With many of these ex-prisoners spending decades behind bars they lack the knowledge and experience of the new world and its advanced development that they are expected to figure out on their own. [5]
Stabilization
After their release prisoners might be physically out of prison but mentally they are still in the prison environment. Instead of forgetting about them and seeing them as someone else problem we need to invest in a work collaboration between correctional staff, probation, and parole agencies to provide ex-offenders with a continuum of care. The care would include the reassurance of access to hallway houses, drug treatment centers, and educating the public on these facilities.
“We’re sensitive to the fact the public is the victim in many ways, so we need to send correctional staff out into the communities and create some kind of understanding,” said Hood. [5]