...Causes of Recidivism Abstract In recent decades, the United States has undergone a substantial increase in prison population. Across the country, prisons are faced with the problem of severe overpopulation. Although crime rates have dramatically decreased over the years, the rates of incarceration have gone in the opposite direction and continue to increase. One of the major underlying factors for the increase lies within recidivism. Repeat offenders make up a large component of the overall prison population. The purpose of this paper is to present the causes of recidivism and the aspects of an offender’s life that tend to lead to re-incarceration. The term recidivism has been derived from the Latin word recidivus, meaning recurring, as well as the term recido, meaning to fall back. It essentially is used to describe a person who has repeated and undesirable behavior after they have already been treated or trained to stop the behavior, or have already suffered the consequences of that behavior. In the criminal justice field, the term is used to describe released inmates who are rearrested, reconvicted, or re-incarcerated. In the past thirty years, incarceration rates have tripled in the United States, and the national state and federal prison population has surpassed two million inmates (Western 3). The statistics regarding recidivism in the United States are baffling compared to the rest of the world. In fact, according...
Words: 2125 - Pages: 9
...Recidivism Introduction Recidivism is defined by USlegal.com is a tendency to lapse into a previous pattern of behavior, especially a pattern of criminal habits. This research it will focus on the pattern of criminal behavior/habits. The topic of recidivism will be focused on the re-arrest, reconviction, or re-incarceration of former inmates. Recidivism is recognized as a serious variable outcome in corrections and a very complicated measurement problem. Recidivism occurs because of a new conviction or a violation of post-prison supervision on probation or parole. Statistical research studies have shown that recidivism occurs normally within a three year period from a prisoners release date and his/her return to prison or jail. Juveniles have the highest recidivism rate and it has been suggested from research to be caused due lower education and alcohol and or drug use. A current trend with court systems throughout the country is to use drug and alcohol treatment programs to reduce recidivism rates of offenders who commit drug and or alcohol related crimes. Higher education is strongly emphasized as well as programs to help prisoners to deal with and cope with the issues of being released back into regular society (Infoplease.com, 2007). The questions is does this work? The realistic and proven answer is that it does for some and for others it does not. Recidivism is an important issue with those concerned with public safety and the cost effectiveness of putting convicted...
Words: 904 - Pages: 4
...system is the issue of recidivism. More often than not, criminals who are released from jail will be arrested again. Leading to a constant flow of criminals coming in and out of prisons and jails. According to a report by the Bureau of Justice Statistics, recidivism rates for particular offenders can be greater than 70% (Langan & Levlin 2002) with an overall rate between 43-46% (Pew Center 2011). The problem with the recidivism rate in the United States is that while criminals are being incarcerated, they are not being treated or rehabilitated to get away from the life of crime. Without treatment the recidivism rates will continue to grow, until change is made in the justice system. Recidivism is an important issue due to the concern of public safety, the stress it puts on law enforcement, and cost of the revolving door trend in today's correctional facilities. Once recidivism starts it is harder for a person to stop criminal acts, and they tend to multiply and can get worse as time passes. The issue of recidivism in the United States is a problem that grows bigger every day. Many offenders in the criminal justice system are becoming repeat offenders. This leads to higher crime rates, higher expenses for police, courts, prisons, and jails. The research that has been conducted isn't just focused on what the rates of recidivism are; they also focus on who is more likely to be a repeat offender as well as offering solutions on how to reduce recidivism in the United States...
Words: 367 - Pages: 2
...Prison Life and Recidivism Karen Cavanagh CRJ303: Corrections Instructor: Gary Gonzales September 19, 2011 Prison Life and Recidivism Prison recidivism is a problem in the United States, resulting in prison overcrowding. As the government struggles to address the conditions in prisons, researchers have begun to look at alternatives to incarceration. These alternatives can result in lowering crime, recidivism and the prison population. The numbers of people in the United States spending time in prison and the amount of time people are spending is an enormous problem and cost for every state (Langan & Levin, 2002). Prisons correctional role is mainly formed from the special strict environment where sentenced people are placed for a certain period of time. The difference in life conditions, that are stricter, more formal as well as restricted, forces on the sentenced person and has a correctional and educational function on his consciousness of a person. Prisoners have less freedoms and rights than those who are out of prison. They are forced to obey the rules of the correctional facility that includes a strict scheduled daily life, limit time for outside activities out of the cells, limited access to visitors and limited time of the visits. Prisoners in the United States have a shorter period of time for visitors to visit prisoners compared to other countries. The life of prisoners in the correctional institutions is based on the authoritarian regime of the prison’s...
Words: 2641 - Pages: 11
...Experts have different views about how to deal with recidivism. Some believe that custodial sentencing is the best way of reducing re-offending, others think that prison may not be the solution and that there are better alternatives. There is also much debate about whether treatment programmes reduce re-offending. Discuss ways of dealing with the problem of recidivism, refer to the views outlined above in your answer. (12) Custodial sentencing is the imposing of a punishment, consisting of mandatory custody of the convict, either in prison (Incarceration) or in some other closed therapeutic/reducational institution. As recidivism refers to the re-offending rate, critics argue that custodial sentencing does not work and cite high recidivism rates as evidence for this. This is due to official statistics showing that 70% of offenders re-offend after custodial sentencing within 2 years of release, which consequently shows that prison may not be the solution. Even with high recidivism rates, custodial sentences might stop more crime than noncustodial sentences. These findings are inconsistent with prisons as a powerful specific deterrent (dwelling on actions/message goes out to the public) and high recidivism rates suggest that many offenders simply are not moved by imprisonment enough to stay out of trouble. On the other hand however, custodial sentencing has been proven to be a good solution as it has been found that not every type of offender re-offends, sex offenders have been...
Words: 655 - Pages: 3
...The United States of America has the highest incarceration rate in the world. America holds 5% of the world’s population, yet it houses 25% of the world’s prisoners (Walmsley 2013). The approximate amount of spending on our nations prisoners is 74 billion dollars, annually (Silver 2014). With the cost of rising incarceration in the U.S. and climbing recidivism rates, it is more apparent than ever that the American Prison Industrial Complex (“PIC”) is in great need of reform (Wagner 2014). The PIC enforces a recidivism cycle in which more than 50% of prisoners return to prison less than 3 years after release, thus being referred to by the PEW Research Center as “The Revolving Door of America’s Prisons” (2011). Not only is this cycle inflicting...
Words: 2111 - Pages: 9
...Work Release Programs and Recidivism Veronica M. Chapa CRIJ 4308 Capstone in Criminal Justice Spring II 2015 Introduction In searching what the biggest problem is in the criminal justice system, so many problems arise. One of the biggest problems that stuck out was the fact that the work release programs and recidivism are still an issue. What can this nation do to improve the work release programs and reduce recidivism? If this nation had more opportunities for those who are being released from prison from an extensive stay and who have lost the ability to understand how it is to live in the “real world”, maybe they would not turn back to crime and rejoin their peers in prison. This is a problem because there is a big issue with the overcrowding of prisons, and if we can reduce recidivism, then there will not be an issue of overcrowded prisons and people would start to turn their lives around. ““In light of rapidly rising prison populations in a vast number of jurisdictions, on the one hand, and high corresponding recidivism rates, on the other, the need for renewed focus on reintegrating prisoners into the community has become urgent” (Cheliotis, 2008). The purpose of this study is to show how there is an issue with the lack of work release programs for prisoners who are being released and how with these programs, the nation can reduce recidivism. It is important to study this because with many ex-prisoners who are not use to living in the “real world”, turn back to...
Words: 6283 - Pages: 26
...Do Prisons Work? Can Individuals be Reformed or Rehabilitated through Incarceration and Treatment Programs. Critically examine the Current Treatment Programs offered and Subsequent Impact on Recidivism upon Individuals being released globally and WA specifically. This study will examine the effectiveness of current prison treatment programs in Australia, New Zealand, South East Asia, United States of America in rehabilitating or reforming an individual and coinciding recidivism rates upon a prisoners release. Prison based treatment programs for sex offenders in Western Australia, New South Wales and New Zealand are examined and recidivism rates compared. Treatment programs for offenders with drug and alcohol issues and the various strategies within the criminal justice system such as diversion, education and drug court programs are examined and differences explained. Rehabilitation programs such as education, life skills, employment and cognitive behavioural treatment are explained and research discussed. Conclusions will be drawn outlining programs with the highest level of recidivism both in Western Australia and globally. The “nothing works” mantra (Martinson) 1974, is seen to be refuted and treatment is seen to be successful when it is matched to the criminogenic needs of the offender (MacKenzie, 2006). Future recommendations are made in regards to the need for correctional staff to assess each offender as an individual with different needs, and to therefore...
Words: 2879 - Pages: 12
...There have been several empirical research materials providing evidence on the success of prison educational programs in reducing the return to prison rates. First and foremost, in Michigan, the Prisoner Education proponents have expressed the importance of educational programs for the ex-convicts while being incarcerated in reducing the rate of recidivism as documented by Brunton-Smith and Hopkins (2014). The primary goal of several prison education programs is to offer behavior correctional lessons while providing instructions that will help refine the convicts’ behavior to meet the behavioral norms of the general public. Skills are incorporated into the prison educational curriculum which is made up of basic skills of literacy and essential...
Words: 1757 - Pages: 8
...within prison systems. Basically, rehabilitation programs are used to correct and rehabilitate criminal offenders so that they can emerge as useful members of society once they complete their prison sentences. Some of the rehabilitation programs that are commonly used to reform inmates include counseling, health and fitness programs, transcendental meditation, academic programs and religious programs. These rehabilitative programs are usually based on the assumption that criminal behavior in most suspects is caused by some contributing factor such as a history of violence, psychological or mental disorders. Such an assumption does not refute that some criminals make their own personal choices to break the law but rather it argues that these personal choices are usually caused by certain factors which contribute to criminal behavior. Rehabilitation programs are therefore based on such perspectives where the various correctional programs are designed to deal with criminal enforcing behavior. For example counseling programs could focus on the behavior that led to the criminal offender committing the offense while educational programs could focus on how to change negative behavior to positive behavior. Correctional programs in prison facilities are therefore important in reducing the recurrence of criminal behavior as well as reducing recidivism among probationers and parolees. In general, rehabilitation programs have been effective in reducing recidivism among prison convicts...
Words: 2134 - Pages: 9
...Boot Camp Prison Boot camp prisons also known as correctional boot camps, shock or intensive incarceration, programs. Are intended to be short-term residential programs that incorporate basic military training. These programs are designed to target convicted adult offenders. The first boot camps began operation in the adult correctional systems of Georgia and Oklahoma in 1983. The Boot camp Prisons are designed as alternatives to the normal incarceration. Boot camps prison were created to reduce recidivism rates, as well as prison populations and operating costs. The goal to reducing recidivism by changing inmate’s problem behaviors that likely contributed to their odds of reoffending. The idea is that behavior modification can occur through...
Words: 1800 - Pages: 8
...CJA/204 April 12, 2013 Measuring Crime Paper Recidivism is where an individual has a habit of committing the same crime time and time again. According to (www.pewtrusts.org), “Recidivism is the act of reengaging in criminal offending despite having been punished. The prison recidivism rate—the subject of this report—is the proportion of persons released from prison that are rearrested, reconvicted or returned to custody within a specific time period. Typically, recidivism studies follow released offenders for three years following their release from prison or placement on probation.” Most of ex-prisoners often have a problem adapting to society after being incarcerated for a long period of time and often find themselves back in prison once again. In the United States of America, more than half of incarcerated men and women are re-incarcerated. This rise in re-incarceration has been increasing dramatically over the past couple of years which has the prisons too crowded. This leads to an unhealthy environment for prisoners with the gang activity and crime that goes on inside of the prison walls. With the way crime rates and recidivism rates are raising it is clear to see that America is getting worse as time goes on. If more prisons aren’t built, then we either have to start releasing prisoners or find another way to deal with this issue. According to (www.csmonitor.com), “In the past 20 years, for instance, the murder rate in the United States has dropped by almost half, from...
Words: 314 - Pages: 2
...no dug treatment had higher recidivism rates (APA.org 2004). Research findings by the American Psychological Association, has been compiled from different studies on prison based drug treatment. Research findings from these two studies mentioned have been obtained from the studies of Dr. Harry K. Wexler and Steven S. Martin. A study conducted by Harry K. Wexler and Gerald Melnick, “Risk and Prison Substance Abuse Treatment Outcomes”, focused on prison based drug treatment and aftercare for inmates. The study shows that high risk offenders benefited slightly more from treatment than low risk offenders, but in the end both benefited. A key finding concluded...
Words: 1495 - Pages: 6
...Introduction Adult literacy and high school completion are two of the major current issue within the state of Alabama that directly affects incarcerated individuals. The National Adult Assessment Literacy (NAAL) is one of the main assessments of adult literacy within households and the U.S prison system (2007). The survey defines literacy as “using printed and unwritten information to function in society, to achieve one’s goal, and to develop knowledge and potential. (NAAL, (2007). “Without acquiring proper literacy skills and the basic skills from a high school diploma or graduation equivalency diploma (GED), an adult may not find or establish good employment opportunities nor defeat the stigma of poverty. Adult literacy and high school completion programs are in high demand not only in the state of Alabama but throughout the U.S especially within the state prisons. The NAAL (1994) reported that 75% of all prison inmates are deficient in various literacy and basic skills on the 12th grade level. In a subsequent report of the survey 10 years later, the NAAL reported only a small significant increase in literacy levels (NAAL, 2007). Adult education program are an integral part of the rehabilitation process in inmate sentencing. Adult education programs provide a prisoner with the means to seek an education and learn skills that he or she may not have learned before being incarcerated. Programs of the importance in many facilities include GED, literacy/ basic skills programs...
Words: 1339 - Pages: 6
...Akber Ansar Jefferey Chan Research Paper 11-29-2012 Recidivism Crime in America is a problem not easily solved. Study and research throughout the years have shown different statistics and outcomes when it comes to how the penal system works. My first hand experience with being an inmate of the prison system and the five years I spent there, there was little help I received in trying to change my life around. What was lacking in my experience was the actual ability to expand on my education or even some sort of trade to ensure job acquisition upon my release. Programs should be better implemented for higher education for the inmates in the prison system so as to reduce what is termed recidivism. Recidivism: Questions arise for those first timers who have never heard of of this term. Recidivism is one of the most fundamental concepts in criminal justice, it refers to a person's relapse into criminal behavior. The majority of the U.S. populous are unaware of this growing epidemic with the prison system, as well as the growing population of convicted felons in American prisons both in the system and those striving in the free world to stay out. In many ways we have to ask ourselves as a society what can we do for those looking to be contributing citizens again, how can we help in the process of their rehabilitation, and where should we step in to get there education back on track? Having a better understanding of the process those having to rehabilitate we can better create...
Words: 430 - Pages: 2
