The Pros And Cons Of Prison Reinforcement Programs

Crime rates in the United States are increasing annually, and this is a problem which affects every citizen, whether directly or indirectly. The fact is that 1 in every 31 adults is being held under some type of correctional control in either prison, on parole, or on probation. Of those individuals, 52% are likely to be repeat offenders after being released from the correctional system. Some people may be quick to quip “once a bad egg, always a bad egg,” but I believe that if society were able to encourage and enforce a solution, these prisoners could be rehabilitated and turned into well-rounded citizens. Reform needs to start in the prison system as positive reinforcement programs for prisoners and implemented through the terms of the
A prime example of this type of program, that I found particularly moving, is the Lionheart Foundation’s Houses of Healing. This is a literary-based program that provides classes for incarcerated men and women focusing on educational, rehabilitative, and re-entry support. The program inspires prisoners to take sole responsibility for their past criminal injustices, understand their mistakes that have brought them to their present circumstances, and give them the right tools necessary to make the right choices going into the future. “Corrections professionals have reported that Houses of Healing is the most effective program they have seen for prisoners’ growth and transformation” (lionheart.org). Another excellent program, available in some prison systems, is a locally sponsored dog training program that allows inmates to become puppy trainers pending they meet the criteria of a behavioral analysis test. These inmates train puppies to be NEADS (National Education for Assistance Dog Services) certified dogs, used for disabled and deaf Americans. By training dogs, inmates dedicate their time to something productive and fulfilling. While support should begin during incarceration, it needs to also continue upon the prisoner’s release, starting
No one wants to spend half a million dollars to fund a program that will not decrease the crime rates. So, the next best option is to work with the programs that are currently in place and go from there. There are already many halfway homes, rehabs, re-entry programs, and prison programs in place; however, they are being severely underutilized and lack enforcement. These programs should be analyzed and room for improvement should be addressed. I think that the judicial system should require prisoners who were incarcerated for over six months to undergo at least two of these programs in order to have the best chance of being reintegrated within society. Instead of shaming these people, we need to accept them for who they were and who they can