Rehabilitation: Education and Work Programs

                                                                 Shantina Davis

   Over the years prisons has went form the method of punishment to now incorporating several methods of rehabilitation. There are several forms of rehabilitation that is used such as psychological counseling, community- based treatments, work and education programs. Implementing these programs helped give the inmates something to do. It kept them active with a plan and purpose instead of having lazy days and nothing to do. Because inmates had an agenda with places to be and things to do helped the intuitions remain a certain order. These programs also allowed many officers to keep their jobs. The officers were needed to help run and oversee some of these programs, therefore keeping staff became much easier than to get rid of them.

Education and work programs

   Perhaps the two most extensively used modes of treatment in American prisons are education and work programs (Silverman and Vega). These two programs are perhaps the most successful because they are targeted at inmates who does not display many skills. They take these inmates, allow them to obtain useful education as well as work skills that are used in our society today. When these inmates gain these skills, for most, it opens a new form of hope and confidence that they may have never known before. Therefore it creates goal and possibilities of what could be once they are released from prison. Many often get assistance with job placement which also takes the pressure off the first job seeking inmates. Therefore what happens is you now have inmates who once had no education or work skills, gave them the chance to learn these essential life tools which entails education, work skills, resume and interviewing skills, even parenting skills and placed them into the real world with a start. Now they are employed making a legit living while coping with personal, family, and society life. Meanwhile they are realizing that they like it and that life is less complicated then committing a life of crime. Many inmates go on to live crime free lives which in return lowers the overall recidivism rates which is the main purpose of the education and work program for inmates.

Psychological/counseling programs

   These types of programs were designed to help inmates get to the root of their problem that cause them to commit criminal acts. Perhaps the most common interventions are drug abuse programs. Nearly half of all criminals on prison admits to using drugs. Most have used the before or was under the influence when they were arrested month. Many drug abuse inmates go without treatment but for those who does partake in this program may have individual or group sessions that allows them to  deal with inner problem, attitude, and why they commit crimes that cause them to endure prison life. Depending on what state of mind the inmate is in the may be given medication in order to keep them under control or some may even have to be hospitalized. The psychological programs are offered to inmates that has a history of substance abuse or mental health abuse. There is also treatments given to sex offenders, like rapist or child molester. Chaplin and religious volunteers also offer counseling sessions to inmates. These sessions could be in the form of group counseling, bible study or prayer meetings. They often reach deeper than religious issues and try to find the source of initial problems in the inmate’s life. The good thing about these programs are that they are not limited or targeted only towards adults. These programs are also offered to youth who are serving time in the juvenile system.