I ran across an interesting item here in Illinois on the topic of criminal recidivism. Illinois implemented a plan in 2004 that has resulted in the lowest conviction rate among parolees in state history, including a 23% reduction in arrests among all parolees and a 40% reduction in repeat incarceration among parolees with substance abuse histories. As Governor Rod Blagojevich says, "Being tough on crime means being smart about fighting crime. The reality is that offenders who are sent to prison are most likely going to be back in our communities sooner or later. And when they return, if they don't have the skills and support to lead clean and productive lives, they are most likely going to end up committing crimes again."
The program consists of three parts. First comes the Sheridan National Model Drug Prison and Reentry Program. Second is an increase in parole agents and the counseling, monitoring and job placement assistance they provide. Third is the creation of a Community Safety and Reentry Commission.
The drug program follows from data that show 69% of convicts were under the influence at the time they committed their offenses. They receive "intensive treatment, job training and counseling during incarceration and substantial support during reentry."
The parole agent increase resulted in 100 new agents being hired statewide. There are eight Spotlight Reentry Center locations that work with parolees to provide enhanced case management for those who want to stay drug-free and obtain honest work.
The Commission has toured the state to ask for citizen suggestions to reduce recidivism, especially in the ten areas with the highest populations of ex-offenders. It also researches effecitve practices nationwide.
Illinois figures these actions are saving the state $64 million a year due to reduced incarceration expenditures. There is also the bonus of productive work and
fewer losses to crime. The example of Illinois shows us that harsher punishment is not necessarily the best or only deterrent to crime. A large number of offenders can be helped to become good citizens if we are willing to make the effort to provide the kind of effective interventions that work.
1 comment:
Thanks to highlighting this issue. It's a bad economics to put people in jail and throw away the key when more probation officers and services can make them productive members of society. Three strikes and you're out is another case of making policy via sound bite rather than via thoughtful deliberative justice. Unwinding our overburdened prison system will take lots of difficult and creative policy making.
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