Helping Ex-Convicts Re-enter Society

Paper Summary:

In this article, the writer notes that clearly there is a subgroup of offenders who repeat their crimes, and who appear to have integrated periods of incarceration into their lifestyles and choices. The writer points out that the repeat offender is one who has violated the norms of the community, whether it is for a serious crime such as murder, or a minor offense such as shoplifting. The writer discusses that there are many concerns about criminals and ex offenders re-entering society from the correctional and justice system. One of the most important questions that needs to be answered is how ex-prisoners can be successfully integrated back into society upon their release. The writer looks at this and other issues, while keeping in mind the importance of educational and career training programs for ex-prisoners. This also means focusing on the education part of the relationship between the variables of race, socio-economic status, and educational attainment on prisoners and going in and out of incarceration.

From the Paper:

"Other existing research looks at educaitonal factors as well. This follows a theory of deterrence, in which the indiviudal fears punishment, and therefore does not commit the crime because they fear scrutiny or action taken against them, once they commit the crime. Theories of discrimination also apply to mandatory minimum drug sentencing. The basic assumption of this report has been that juvenile offenders are more likely to get into further trouble and re-offend if they are put in with adult prisoners, who provide a role fulfillment in a way that does not point towards rehabilitation. The idea is that US society frequently discriminates against the poor and minorities, or uses stereotypes to keep them down through policy. This report has extended this scope to also include age. This is far from a comprehensive definition of discrimination, which can also include social decisions that are based on the gender, disability, or sexuality of a perceived group, to name just a few possible delineations. The cause for most discrimination and prejudice is the fostering of stereotypes that seek to assay out-group homogeneity from the perspective of the oppression. Ex-prisoners reentering society, of course, often face severe stereotypes from all angles. Ex offenders reentering society from the correctional and justice system are subject to a lot of natural disadvantages and obstacles during this sensitive time."

Sample of Sources Used:

• Bowker, A (2009). Locking up the repeat offender. http://www.lectlaw.com/files/cjs11.htm
• MacDonald, H (2008). How to straighten out ex cons. http://www.city-journal.org/html/13_2_how_to_straighten.html
• Keeping repeat offenders out of jail (2009). http://www.heraldextra.com/content/view/306461/17/
• Children in adult jails (2008). http://www.buildingblocksforyouth.org/issues/adultjails/factsheet.html
• Education as crime prevention (2008). http://74.125.47.132/search?q=cache:wP7Q0CxfKnEJ:www.bard.edu/bpi/pdfs/crime_report.pdf+education+recidivism&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=1&gl=us

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