Colorado Jail Focuses on Re-Entry
The Colorado Department of Corrections is definitely onto something. Realizing that most prisoners will be released one day, it has created a jail facility that focuses on training inmates to be prepared for their re-entry.
...the most intensive re-entry facility in state history operates as a specialized way station for inmates now garbed in green scrubs but about to become someone's next door neighbor. An intense schedule of classes, softer architecture and more civilized language aim to change inmates' lives, reduce recidivism and make streets safer.
Studies show that released inmates are less likely to re-offend if they have undergone re-entry programs. In Colorado, that could have a significant impact.
This year, the state will move about 8,000 inmates back into the community, but recidivism has been running at about 50 percent, which means that about half could be back behind bars within three years. The state spends an average of $30,000 a year to incarcerate a prisoner.
Even small changes can have an impact on a prisoner's attitude. As one of them told the Rocky,
"The fact that they call you a resident rather than an inmate makes you start to think you're a person,"
The inmates' days and evenings are filled with classes and programs. There even is an 8:00 a.m. news class. I highly recommend reading the entire article. It's really quite inspirational.
Comments
Submitted by Tree II (not verified) on Tue, 2005-10-18 16:57.
They used to call those halfway houses back in my day. This is nothing new, it's just being called something different by the Department of Corrections now because their image has taken such a hit over the years regarding the recidivism issue.
Not taking anything away from the public gesture by the D.O.C., but if they focused on higher education while inmates were locked up, rather than crash courses in lifestyle re-entry education that they will barely utilize considering they'll mostly be able to get jobs making minimum wage...bottom line, this program will do little if anything for recidivism.
The real solutions need to take place in the form of education while they're locked up and have more time and less stress to focus on the goals to get out and apply for jobs that make reasonable wage earners that can effectively utilize courses on re-entry. Instead of letting them sit in front of cable telelvision all day soaking up the latest Jerry Springer contributions to the world. It would also be in the public's best interest to have their tax dollars ($30,000 per inmate) spent on educational programs for inmates to give them a realistic chance at survival in the real world, rather than have to go back to slinging dope or robbing people to make a living.
It's good to teach them how to balance a checkbook effectively, but if they don't have legitimate and competitive wages to put in that bank account, no amount of re-entry courses will give them the opportunity of avoiding the revolving door that is our prison system.
