Executive Summary
This report will look into the assignments assigned to a Programs Director of a State Correctional System by the Commissioner. The report will seek to discuss the effects of the programs, the benefits for the inmates, and how the programs affect the inmates. The report will also explain the differences amid the various programs and demonstrate the programs are essential for the different types of felony. The importance of such programs to the inmates and the community will be analyzed and the repercussions of recidivism. The strategy and method to be used in order to achieve the assigned goals of the Commissioner have been delineated. With the projected rise in the number of inmates and the lack of funds for correctional facilities, the federal government should allocate more budgets to the correctional and maximum security systems in order to manage the foreseen challenges.
Problem Resolution in Corrections
Introduction
The United States of America is estimated to be the largest country worldwide to have a huge number of incarcerated prisoners (Hall, Wooten, & Lundgren, 2015). Over the years, the numbers of prisoners have tremendously increased due to the high rates of criminal activities. Extreme poverty, sexual abuse, exploitation, and poor education are some of the factors that lead to high levels of criminal activities. Most of the crimes committed are not serious, but they still warrant imprisonment or punishment. Correctional facilities are places where such criminals are set up to serve their sentences while learning vital skills that will assist them once they finish their sentences and join the community again as reformed persons. This paper will discuss various programs that are developed in the correctional facilities, which are taught and passed on to the inmates, the underlying factors that may hinder the continuation of such innovative programs, the assessment of the assignments from the Commissioner, and the implementation of some old programs that may be beneficial to other inmates.
Assignment 1
In most state correctional facilities, programs that have been set up to enable an inmate to learn everything about the programs and how to utilize the skills learned from the plans. Not everyone in the system is eligible for a transition from the institution of corrections to the community. These exceptions apply to hardcore criminals who have been sentenced to life imprisonment due to various charges and acts of criminal activities. Eligible inmates for these programs must undertake the instructional curriculum that incorporates all the programs available for evaluation. By going through the instructional curriculum and integrating the programs, an inmate is on the right way to achieve freedom and community integration without malice, hatred, or fear (Hall et al., 2015).
The various transition and reentry programs include the occupational program. This program entails marketing skills that enhance the inmates to get equal employment opportunities once they are released from prison. Inmates use their skills by having firsthand experience through working and reconstruction of the correctional facility. The educational program is a scheme that enhances an inmate’s level of education by enabling the prisoner to resume studies that may have been previously absconded due to criminal activities and poverty or sexual harassment. This program entails an educational certificate that is vital and crucial when looking for employment opportunities for inmates. Vocational programs entail skills acquired from different vocational jobs (Hall et al., 2015). With such a plan, inmates are encouraged to join programs that instill skills, which assist in the rebuilding one’s life once released from the correctional facility.
Inmate work program involves all incarcerated inmates to keep them busy. This program helps in various ways, especially the correctional facility whereby running costs are reduced because of the curriculum. The program assists the inmates to develop their job skills and work experience, which enable them to find job opportunities once released from the correctional facility. Psychological programs help to analyze the thoughts and social interactions of an inmate. The program delves into substance abuse programs that are under the Psychological program. This program is essential for inmates who are mentally unstable, and those who lack a lot in their social and immediate lives. This program assists inmates in evaluating themselves and re-igniting a second chance to life. Adult Continuing Education program, in most cases, is normally taught by a fellow inmate. This program is useful for inmates who have special learning interests in various courses, thus, enabling the set strategy to offer a large number of these lessons. The parenting program teaches the value of a good and loving family surrounding that is important in a human being’s life. The aspects of good parenting are discussed deeply and the various ways an incarcerated parent can still participate in parenting and be informed of the best ways to handle family conflicts (Hall et al., 2015).
The sole purpose of the release preparation program is to ensure that the inmates have basic information and contacts, which are necessary for the successful reentry into society and the employment arena (Hall et al., 2015). This program is mandatory for all incarcerated inmates except those who have been sentenced to death, locked up for less than 6 months, or those confined in administrative maximum security facilities. Faith-based programs, on the other hand, assist inmates to identify themselves with different religions that they are accustomed to. The purpose of the program is to enhance the inmates to be religious and committed to change for the better. This program is meant to enhance the inmate’s self-responsibility and foster growth. The program ensures that the inmate will have a good relationship with the community and reconcile with the victim. This enables the inmate to have a relationship with the victim and the community without feeling judged harshly by society.
The instructional curriculum has a lot to offer the inmates. The inmates have to partake of the curriculum to understand the implications of transition and reentry programs (Hall et al., 2015). With the basics of the instructional curriculum understood, the needs of the inmates need to be met. This can be achieved through the training of staff members. Staff members can be the prison guards, community volunteers, and inmates. Prison guards and inmates are regarded as ‘insiders’ while community volunteers are regarded as ‘outsiders’. Outsiders that are incorporated in the training of these programs are part of the Division of Parole system. They interact most with the inmates and evaluate the prisoner’s willingness or cooperation to go on with the programs. The trained staff members play a huge role in encouraging and motivating the inmates to continue and/or pursue the transition and reentry programs.
With proper coordination, the state correctional facility will be able to handle most of the programs, if not all (Hall et al., 2015). This will, in turn, enhance more numbers of inmates enroll in the programs. The plan is to train more people, especially community-based volunteers from faith-based organizations. This will make it easy for the inmates to identify with the staff once they have been released from the correctional facility. When an inmate is set free, and the first person he/she sees is one of the correctional facility trainers, a sense of belonging is experienced, and this might have a positive energy over their behaviors. The training programs have to be conducted in cycles to ensure that in every single day, there is a lesson on most agendas for the inmates. This will also help in analyzing the inmates and their preferred choice of program.
Assignment 2
Correctional facilities and administrative maximum security prisons incarcerate a lot of inmates, both male and female offenders (Henrichson & Delaney, 2012). Over the past few years, there has been a rapid rise of felons in the United States of America. When the numbers are compared from 1980 to 2010, it is evident that criminal activities have risen to an all-time high. The number of females incarcerated show that there has been an increase of women engaging in criminal activities now than 10 years back. The juvenile centers have also seen an increased number of children placed in the centers because of engaging in criminal activities. This shows that the biggest challenge for the correctional centers and the juvenile reform centers is lack of enough funds to cater for the needs of the increasing number of inmates. With the rapid rise of inmates, the correctional systems also face an influx of felons and a shortage of trained personnel.
In the next ten years, the population of most correctional facilities will be full with no room to accommodate more inmates. This will affect the quality of the programs offered to the inmates due to large numbers of enrolled inmates. This can, however, decrease the numbers of registered inmates on most programs. With the limited budget, it would be impossible to sustain such programs in the next ten years to come (Henrichson & Delaney, 2012). More inmates require more trainers and with the equivalent or minimal budgetary estimates, the correctional facility might come to a stop. This means that the facility will get overwhelmed, and the inmates will be uncontrollable. If such a scenario happens, there will be riot and unrest in the facility, which will ultimately lead to a public outcry of inhumanity.
To avoid such terrible actions, a number of factors are to be considered. The government should ensure ample and efficient budgetary allocation for prisons and correctional facilities. More money means there will be satisfaction of the needs; more inmates, more trainers, more programs, creation and expansion of state correctional centers, and enhancement of maximum security prisons (Henrichson & Delaney, 2012). With the expansion of these facilities, the number of inmates that is projected to rise will not be a problem for the correctional facility to manage. With more money, more trainers should be prioritized to cater for the numerous inmates. This will ensure that there are enough qualified trainers to take any program and teach the inmates. Technology should be highlighted in the correctional centers as a tool of empowerment for the trainers and the management. This means that with application of the ever-changing technological advancements, it will be easier to keep track of everything from the inmates to their activities.
Incorporation of technology in the programs is an added advantage in the sense that it makes it easier for the trainer and the inmates during sessions. The management should look into all aspects of the correctional center and ensure that all the materials required for the inmates and the trainers can be easily accessed. The management should set up mechanisms that ensure smooth transition of materials from trainers to inmates. Management should be on the lookout for the gadgets used for the programs by the inmates. Supervisors of the correctional centers should be mandated to ensure programs are taught well, and inmates are willing to enroll for the programs. Other than ensuring great program outreach, the supervisors should work together with the trainers to create a marvelous outreach program. With the overhaul of the whole system, the managers of the correctional center and the supervisors should be careful with the expectations of the next decade (Henrichson & Delaney, 2012).
Assignment 3
A convicted felon is a person who simply engages in unlawful activities and has been found guilty for the offense (Phelps, 2011). Most correctional centers are filled with convicted felons due to the nature of their crimes and the reforms undertaken in the facilities. They are placed in these facilities to reform their behavior. Some convicted felons are placed directly in rehabilitation without being incarcerated. Such persons are intensely supervised to see how well they lend with the community. The 1000 male inmates who have transferred to the state will undergo rehabilitation through the transition and reentry programs. The programs to be explored will include the old programs and new programs. This will assist the inmates to have all the skills and information required to lead a normal and fulfilled life.
One of the old programs to be applied is the inmate work program. This program ensures that all inmates that are medically fit are assigned to a work program and contribute to the operations of the correctional facility. This keeps the inmates busy and ensures that skills or instructions are imparted somehow to an inmate (Phelps, 2011). This program is eligible for all inmates under incarceration. Psychological program enhances the teachings of a society-oriented inmate who can easily fit among members of the community without fear and condemnation. When an inmate is able to keep his cool mind during a confrontation, this shows how the psychological program works. This program is eligible for inmates with hatred, self-esteem issues, and uncontrollable compulsive behavior. Release Preparation Program prepares inmates for the transition to parole. This program is a must for all inmates as all of them will rejoin the public in the community and start life afresh. The major purpose of this program is to inculcate basic information and contacts that are necessary for the inmates to get employment opportunities without challenges and obstacles. This program is eligible for all inmates.
Faith-based programs will assist the inmates in identifying their capabilities to integrate with the community. With this program, the inmates will feel and be appreciated by the community at large, and this boosts their self-esteem and awareness. This program ensures that the inmates understand where they are, where they have come from, and where they are headed (Phelps, 2011). Such a program encourages the inmates to reconcile with the victims and the community for excellent integration and welfare of all stakeholders. This program is eligible for every inmate. Educational programs facilitate the continuation of further studies for willing inmates. This program will help inmates to complete their education and get certificates that are vital when looking for jobs. This program is only eligible for the willing inmates.
Apart from the old programs, there will be alternative corrections program. The new programs for convicted felons include intense supervision (Phelps, 2011). This is where the offender is strictly monitored in everything he/she does from the facility’s games court to his/her outreach programs. This ensures compliance of the programs is followed by the offender. Screening of Drugs is a program to be undertaken in the correctional facilities to ensure effective community placement of the inmates. This is important and it should always be done before and after meals and impromptu roll calls. This process ensures the inmate avoid drugs and other vile behaviors. Community placement programs are imperative for the inmates to understand their physical surroundings. The inmates should brace themselves for tough condemnation from the community and society. With the identification of a convict, most inmates would rather abandon the integrated instructional curriculum for the transition and reentry of programs because of the negativity associated with them. This program will give the inmates a one-on-one experience with the community and teach them how to approach members of the society. The three assignments have extensively looked into the obstacles associated with being an inmate or a convict and how to address the arising needs. The integration of these persons is important in eradicating the prospects of the systems with respect to the increasing number of inmates because of preventable, minor mistakes.
References
Hall, T. L., Wooten, N. R., & Lundgren, L. M. (2015). Post incarceration policies and prisoner reentry: Implications for policies and programs aimed at reducing recidivism and poverty. Journal of Poverty, 1(1), 1-17.
Henrichson, C., & Delaney, R. (2012). The price of prisons: What incarceration costs taxpayers. Federal Sentencing Reporter, 25(1), 68-80.
Phelps, M. S. (2011). Rehabilitation in the punitive era: The gap between rhetoric and reality in US prison programs. Law & society review, 45(1), 33-68.