Community Chat

[gardenman]

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@jackiejenny wrote:

It is oft said that the only thing prison does for one is to make them become a better con.

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Sadly, this is often true. I went to college with a kid who'd been sent to prison for a drug offense. His first cellmate was an experienced car thief who taught him how to steal cars. He then shared a cell with a thief who taught him how to pick nearly any lock with common items like paperclips and Bobby pins. He came out of prison far more equipped to live a life of crime than he'd been before. 

[Ibby114]

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@colliegirls wrote:

They often return to the same toxic friends and environment that wrongly influenced them to be criminals the first time.

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Yes, unfortuately people don't change unless they reach a bottom.One would think prison would be that bottom too.....

[goldensrbest]

I am sure there are several reasons, learned behavior, so called friends,family, addiction, job opportunities,the list goes on.

[jaxs mom]

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@YorkieonmyPillow wrote:

Why do you think there is such a high rate of recidivism (returning to prison) among ex-prisoners?

What are your thoughts...

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It's extremely difficult for them to get work. People don't want to hire them. For the people that got there due to theft crimes, it can be hard to not fall back on what they know if no one will give them a job. 

[software]

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@Ibby114 wrote:

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@colliegirls wrote:

They often return to the same toxic friends and environment that wrongly influenced them to be criminals the first time.

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Yes, unfortuately people don't change unless they reach a bottom.One would think prison would be that bottom too.....

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Prison is college.

The wrong kind.

All the bad ones hang out with each other and compare notes.

As soon as they get out, they try out their new skills

[bonnielu]

@Annabellethecat66  I do think you are right.  When a person GETS OUT they are either not trained to get a job or society does not want to hire them. LACK OF OPPORTUNITY.  It takes a great deal of determination for them to GO STRAIGHT and make it.  It is probably easier just to fall back on old habits and do what they do best. Rather sad.

Perhaps instead of jailing everyone there should be more rehabilitation programs for those who have not actually killed anyone or have been part of violent crimes.

I watch lots of crime programs and it seems even if they get away with it temporarily they still fall back on old habits.   

[software]

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@tansy wrote:

Vocational skills should be taught, as well as GED and college classes, and employers should receive an incentive to hire ex-prisoners when appropriate.  Prisons should not be run by for-profit, private companies.

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The private company prison system has failed miserably.

[software]

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@pdlinda wrote:

In many cases, when prisoners are released they have few supports in place to advance in society.  Most have felony convictions that don't allow them to qualify for many jobs, they have no credit, very little cash and scarce opportunity to find adequate housing.  Many come to prison with addiction problems that usually re-surface once they settle back in the neighborhoods that originally exposed them to behaviors that landed them in prison in the first place.  If they relapse onto illegal drugs (including legal meds for which they have no prescription), they usually are arrested and sent back to prison.

Just think of how difficult it is for many citizens to sustain an adequate lifestyle in our society today and multiply that over and over again to see the barriers to success for those leaving prison.

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Bingo!

There is one horrible women's prison in my state.

Since the majority of the convicts also have children there is more community support, if for nothing else to help the children, keep them out of foster care.

We have something called "Whole-way" houses as opposed to a "half-way" house.   Women fresh out of prison can live in a whole-way house with their children, they work and ease back into a normal life before they are released on their own.    It's been successful.

[jaxs mom]

Not everyone in prison is a career criminal with no education. That doesn't change the fact that society in general writes off anyone with a prison record. They need to be able to survive until enough time has passed that they don't have to report it on job applications. A lot of people wouldn't end up back in prison if their record didn't hold them back from succeeding once they got out. As a society we need to be willing to give people the chance to support themselves and get on with their life when they get out.