Reducing Recidivism – A Personal Holistic Approach
Through The First Step Act
Several programs work to directly reducing recidivism,
Apprenticeship Training (2022) Apprenticeship training and reducing recidivism
Federal Prison Industries, FPI (UNICOR)
Vocational Training (2022) This program combines three broad categories: 1) Apprenticeship Training, 2) Certification Course Training, and 3) Vocational Training.
WORK [vocational training and job readiness programs]
‘…reducsupporting those who wish to create positive futures for themselves and their families.’
Another example is the Last Mile
The Last Mile (TLM) was created to provide programs that result in successful reentry and reduce recidivism. We believe that jobs are the key to breaking the cycle of incarceration. Our mission is to provide marketable skills that lead to employment. Our in an out program provides career training in prison with mentorship and job placement upon release.
‘Felony’ currently is forever on one’s record:
We can all agree that leaving prison with a “Felony” on one’s record disqualifies them from most jobs in our current workforce. While discouraging, this existing ‘disclosure requirement’ that appears on most employment applications. It inhibits those affected from moving forward with their lives by not even then making it into the interview phase, thus contributing to this recidivism paradigm.
The issue of a “Felony” on one’s record is a political issue, and one that politicians all across the country need to address. Our society’s reality is that released inmates are facing this challenge every day; this is their albatross. Even so, if the effort is made early before prison placement, we can begin to start changing some of their future ‘paradigm’ challenges.
92% of defendants with public counsel and 91% with private counsel either pleaded guilty or were found guilty at trial. DOJ Cases, November 2000
While this is a difficult and fearful time, it is worthwhile to discuss with your client what job, educational or lifetime goals they (and their families) may have, and then include this in their PSR.
A personalized Presentence Report (PSR) submitted before sentencing that matches your client with a facility that provides for their individual healthcare needs, security level, encourages and supports their interests in Education (College) as well as interests they may have in a specific occupational trades training (i.e.: Accounting – Welder), is all a great start.
Who Benefits:
Society’s benefit: Individuals are released with new futures for themselves, now becoming contributing members of their communities.
Your Client’s benefit is that they are now released with enhanced life skills and future positive goals.
The Last Mile is a successful example of what can be done in changing our existing recidivism paradigm.
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