Criminal Justice: Programs that reduce Recidivism

Because inmates released from prison are prone to reoffending and returning to prison, post-release supervision is an invaluable asset to the Criminal Justice Department, the community, and the inmate. Nevertheless, the 1994 “truth-in-sentencing” legislation resulted in a greater number of Massachusetts offenders serving out the majority of their sentences, ineligible for parole, and released into the community without parole supervision (Brooks…et al, 2005). For example: In 2002, there were 2,630 releases from the Massachusetts Department of Correction (Brooks…et al, 2005). Of those, one-third of had been sentenced for a crime against a person, one quarter for drug offenses, and nearly all had at least one prior conviction (Brooks…et al, 2005). Yet only one-third (33%) of those released received parole supervision and the majority (67%) were released into the community either unsupervised or under probation supervision (Brooks…et al, 2005).


Although probation provides some supervision, it does not provide prelease services or, in most cases, significant contact throughout the month's post-release (Brooks…et al, 2005). Many of the challenges that inmates face when they leave prison, such as lack of education, homelessness, unemployment, and substance use disorders make prisoners more likely to return to crime upon release (DOLETA, 2009). As a rule, all reentry programs focus on rehabilitation services that aid the prisoner in successful reentry into the community post-release in an attempt to reduce recidivism (DOLETA, 2009). Many reentry programs offer a variety of educational and vocational services to prisoners [based on need] prerelease (DOLETA, 2009). They also offer some form of transitional services to help inmates address the specific challenges they face upon leaving prison, such as helping inmates get a state id, food stamps, health insurance and locate their family (DOLETA, 2009). Some of the post-release services offered include supervision or referrals to needed health, housing and employment facilities (DOLETA, 2009)


Regrettably, our current legislation in Massachusetts provides these longer costly sentences that often end with an unsupervised release into the community (Brooks, Solomon, Keegan, Kohl & Lahue, 2005). Although new policies aim to deter criminals from engaging in new criminal activities by making the punishment (i.e. time incarcerated) harsher, the research indicates that the rate of recidivism has been relatively stable for the last 15 years (Greineder, 2011). One study conducted, by DOC’s Research and Planning Division, revealed that 48% of those released were convicted of, though not necessarily re-incarcerated for, a new crime within three years of release (Massachusetts Department of Corrections, 2015). Some research even indicates these longer sentences in conjunction with inadequate post-release supervision practices often leave inmates unprepared for re-entry into the community and at a higher risk for reincarnation (Forman & Larivee, 2013). As recidivism accounts for a large portion of the criminal activity and the Criminal Justice Department budget managing recidivism is of particular concern. The current research supports the use of reentry programs, that rehabilitate prisoners in prison and help them transition into the community, as a cost-effective way to manage recidivism and reduce crime (Department of Labor Employment and Training Administration, 2009).


One reentry program I recommend is offered by the “Division of Inmate Educational and Training Program”. This program focuses on comprehensive academic and vocational programming based on the inmate’s individual’s needs (MDC, 2015). This program is used to teach inmates “competency achievement, basic literacy skills, salable skills, and work ethics” (MDC, 2015). The classes offered start at an elementary level, proceed through basic educational needs and aim to help inmates get General Equivalency Diplomas (MDC, 2015). However, for eligible inmates at select locations, Boston College offers opportunities for our inmates to obtain college degrees. This educational program is mandatory for all prisoners. Accordingly, the educational needs of each inmate are accessed at admissions and then they are placed in classes based on their level of need (MDC, 2015).


The purpose of this program is to prepare inmates with vital educational and employment skills for life outside the prison (MDC, 2015). Low levels of opportunity make people far more likely to engage in criminal behavior. With only 25% of the jobs in Massachusetts open to those without a diploma, there are very few legal opportunities to adequately sustain one’s needs without a diploma. This puts those without a high school diploma at significant risk for unemployment, poverty and criminal behavior. Not surprisingly, our surveys report that 50% of those who enter Massachusetts prison systems do not have a high school diploma (MDC, 2015).


I would recommend The Divisions Educational and Vocational Training Program to Centervale’s Prisons because participation in educational and vocational training can reduce recidivism significantly. One nationwide study found that educational programs in prison can reduce recidivism by 5.1% and vocational programs could reduce recidivism by 12.6% (MDC, 2015). Another report evaluated the efficiency and cost-benefit of programs funded by the Massachusetts Criminal Justice Department to reduce recidivism. This report revealed that the Education in Prison was the best return on investment in the Massachusetts Correction Facility, showing a 19.2% reduction in recidivism at a $6.60 cost-benefit ratio. This means for every one dollar the state spent on rehabilitation the state saw a $6.60 benefit in recidivism reduction.


Another re-entry program I recommend is called the "Medication Assisted Treatment Reentry Initiative". Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT) refers to the use of pharmacotherapy in conjunction with traditional substance abuse therapies to help addicts recover from addiction and improve social function (SAMHSA, 2015). This program is used specifically to get inmates treatment for their substance use disorders pre-release, as well as, helping them obtain post-release referrals to multifaceted programs that use medication to manage alcohol and opioid addiction (MDC, 2015). The MATRI is available at only a few of our prisons and is only for opioid and alcohol addicted inmates (MDC, 2015). To enter the program inmates have to have a documented addiction problem for alcohol or opioids and complete the Department’s Residential Substance Abuse Treatment Program (MDC, 2015).


The objective of the program is to reduce both recidivism and substance use post-release by helping inmates get medication and substance abuse treatment both inside and outside the facility (MDC, 2015). Medication-Assisted Treatment has been used effectively in the United States for the treatment of both alcohol and opioid dependence (SAMHSA, 2015). Research indicates when Medication-Assisted Treatment is used in conjunction with a comprehensive treatment program, MAT can improve: survival, treatment retention and employment rates, as well as, birth outcomes with perinatal addicts (SAMHSA, 2015). Other documented advantages of MAT program participation include decreases in: illicit opiate use, hepatitis and HIV seroconversion, and criminal activity (SAMHSA, 2015).


I would recommend the Medication Assisted Treatment Reentry Initiative to Centervale’s Prison to reduce the cost of drug-related crime and reduce the rate of recidivism. Surveys from the Mass Department of Correctional Facilities report that 73% of the population has a substance abuse problem that will put the offender at risk to recidivate without treatment. Various reports indicate that supervised outpatient treatment for low-level nonviolent drug offenders would be equally if not more, cost-effective than incarceration (Greineder, 2011). Evidence-based models that evaluate the effectiveness of programs offered to inmates in hopes of reducing recidivism indicated that when MAT is provided in Modified Therapeutic Communities the result is a 9.7% reduction in crime with a cost-benefit ratio of $6.27 per every dollar invested (Mass Department of Corrections, 2015).






References


Brooks, L. E. Solomon, A. L., Keegan, S., Kohl, R. & Lahue, L. (2005). Prisoner Reentry in Massachusetts. Mass.Gov. Retrieved from Http://Www.Mass.Gov/Eopss/Docs/Doc/Research-Reports/Prisoner-Reentry-In-Ma.Pdf


Greineder, D. K. (2011). Mass Incarceration: How Justified and How much Public Saftey Does it Buy? Lifers Group. etrieved from http://www.realcostofprisons.org/writing/Greineder_Mass_achusetts_Incarceration.pdf


Forman, B. & Larivee, J. (2013). Crime, Cost, and Consequences: Is It Time to Get Smart on Crime? MassInc. Retrieved from http://www.massinc.org/~/media/Files/Mass%20Inc/Research/Full%20Report%20PDF%20files/Crime_Cost_Consequences_MassINC_Final.ashx


Massachusetts Results First. (2014). Cost-Benefit Analysis. Pew Charitable Trusts. Retrieved from http://www.pewtrusts.org/~/media/Assets/2014/12/ResultsFirstMassachusetts2014Overview.pdf


Mass Department of Corrections. (2015). Substance Abuse Treatment and Corrections. Mass Department of Corrections. Retrieved from http://www.mass.gov/courts/docs/specialty-courts/specialty-courts-doc-presentation.pdf


MDC. (2015). Program Description Booklet. Retrieved from Http://Www.Mass.Gov/Eopss/Docs/Doc/Program-Booklet.Pdf


Schmalleger, Frank J. Criminal Justice Today: An Introductory Text for the 21st Century, 13th Edition. Pearson Learning Solutions, 01/2014. VitalBook file.


SAMHSA. (2015). Medication Assisted Treatment. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. Retrieved from http://www.samhsa.gov/medication-assisted-treatment


United States Department of Labor Employment and Training Administration. (2009). Serious and Violent Offender Reentry Initiative: "GOING HOME". Mass.Gov. Retrieved from Http://Www.Doleta.Gov/Grants/Sga/Reentry.Cfm

Examining the Causation of Crime: Arrest in Murder of 21-Year-Old in Montgomery County

The Washington Post (2015) depicts the murder of a transgender woman as a premeditated killing in which the murderer and the victim knew each other. Apparently, the victim and defendant had a friendship that was revealed to others in the recent days previous to the shooting (Washington Post, 2015). The defendant was enraged after the relationship was revealed to others because he felt humiliated (Washington Post, 2015). His response to the humiliation was to put on a mask, hide behind a dumpster, and shoot the victim several times (Washington Post, 2015).

The defendant was described as having a previous criminal history (Washington Post, 2015). Allegedly he denied knowledge of the location of the town and mall where the crime occurred, even though he lived just outside that town for years (Washington Post, 2015). There is mention that the crime might be considered a hate crime, but so far has not been charged that way (Washington Post, 2015). As of now, the charge is of first-degree murder and punishable by life in prison (Washington Post, 2015). 

The purpose of the story is to inform the public about the case facts, so they can make their own judgments. The criminal justice department or police are portrayed as heroes for getting the defendant on off the streets. The report made me feel bad for the transgender woman who was killed. I find it a bit strange that someone would engage in a relationship if they felt so humiliated about having it. The report mentions that there was a fight before the shooting in which the victim was being assaulted with a stick in an attempt to lure her into the alley (Washington Post, 2015). But also mentions that the shooter was behind the dumpster waiting to shoot the victim (Washington Post, 2015). This makes it unclear to me if there was more than one person involved with crime.

A psychological theory that could explain this murder would be “doing gender” which indicates that gender socialization plays a large role in criminal behavior. This theory would indicate that men are more likely to engage in masculine scripts when they feel their manliness has been questioned or they desire to reestablish character (Conklin, 2008, p. 162). Additionally, this theory suggests that men engage in these masculine scripts to show people they are not feminine (Conklin, 2008, p. 162). In fact, they desire to exude contempt for women when they engage in crimes like sexual assault, sexual harassment, and gay-bashing (Conklin, 2008, p. 162).  I suggest this theory because I got the sense that the killing was because his masculinity was threatened when his relations with the transgender was revealed to others. This would account for the public and personal nature of the shooting, in which the transgender was shot in the genital area.

In addition to this, trait theory could apply to the causation of this crime as well. That is to say because the defendant had a previous criminal history this could indicate that the overall lacked self-control. Self-control is a trait that would inhibit criminal proclivity through the use of mental restraint (Conklin, 2008, p. 119). Additionally, a lack of self-control contributes to “impulsive, insensitive, physical (as opposed to mental), risk-taking, short-sighted, and nonverbal behavior that can result in criminal and analogous acts (Conklin, 2008, p. 119). Lack of self-control would also account for the short-sightedness of the defendant's behavior. People with a lack of self-control reportedly are less likely to consider the consequences of these behaviors (Conklin, 2008, p. 119).

References

Conklin, J. E. (2008). Criminology,

10th Edition. Pearson Learning Solutions.

Schmalleger, F. J. (2014). Criminal

Justice Today: An Introductory Text for the 21st Century, 13th Edition.

Washington

Post. (2015). Arrest in Murder of 21-Year-Old in Montgomery County. Washington Post. Retrieved from

https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/public-safety/arrest-in-murder-of-21-year-old-in-montgomery-county/2015/10/17/57c431b2-74bd-11e5-8248-98e0f5a2e830_story.html

Whitely,

J. (2015). Man Stabbed to Death on White Rock Trail In Dallas. ABCNews. Retrieved from http://www.wfaa.com/story/news/crime/2015/10/12/man-stabbed-death-white-rock-trail-dallas/73820196/

Examining the Causation of Crime: Man Stabbed to Death on White Rock Trail in Dallas

In 2015, ABC news depicts the story of a young man who hacks another person to death with a machete in a fit of rage (ABC, 2015). Although there were witnesses who also called the police, reportedly the man called the police on himself after the fact. He claimed he was enraged that he was recently evicted from his residence (ABC, 2015). The defendant has no previous violent history, though he was charged with burglary last year (ABC, 2015). Apparently, he formerly played football for Dallas Skyline High School in 2012 and ran away for three days (ABC, 2015).

 My impression was that the person must have pretty out of their mind to want to hack someone to death with a machete. That is a very violent and up-close type of murder, in contrast, to say a shooting which you can do from yards away. I also felt in the video news report there was an emphasis made on the fact that the man was generally well-liked, mannered, and played football (ABC, 2015). I felt the emphasis on his football history was a little out of place. I am assuming they mentioned it in connection with a previous story that made the media involving the man disappearance from a football game a few years back. I think they inserted this information to indicate a pattern of bizarre behavior. 

The purpose of the storied portrayed is to inform the public of the recent murder, but also inform them of the facts about the murderer and victim. The crime was portrayed as random or unexpected. It was also portrayed as an act of rage. The criminal justice system in Texas was portrayed as harsh. The report mentions that in Texas there is a high probability of the death penalty.

The defendant was recently kicked out of his house and had previously been arrested for burglary. This seems to indicate to me there was some financial struggle that was weighing on him. This expression of financial strain in conjunction with his admission that he was enraged because of the loss of his residence makes radical criminology theory seem like a plausible explanation of his behavior. Radical criminology theory blamed the causation of crime on the unequal distribution of wealth and power in society (Schmalleger, 2014, p. 97). This theory argued that those who disenfranchised were more likely to have pent up frustrated feelings that lead them to crimes like rape, theft, and murder (Schmalleger, 2014, p. 97).

Another potential causation of this crime might be in an imbalance in neurotransmitters, especially serotonin. Serotonin inhibits the effect of “irritating experiences that might otherwise result in anger and aggression” (Schmalleger, 2014, p. 83). Low serotonin levels can result from something as simple like ingesting toxic pollutants like “lead and manganese” or from a genetic variation, such as men with an extra Y chromosome (Schmalleger, 2014, p. 83). I suggested the imbalance of chemicals because he has no previous violent history, is generally regarded as a likable. An imbalance would account for a sudden deviation from that pattern of behavior.

Examining the Causation : New Details Emerge In Probe Of Oregon College Shooting

In 2015, the CBS News reported on the investigation into Chris Harper-Mercer and the massacre he has been deemed responsible for, at the Umpqua Community College, in Oregon. Although the article reports briefly about the crime, the victims, and the investigators, the focus of the report is on information pertaining to the shooter (CBS, 2015). Apparently, Mercer left behind a multi-page typed note that media has since been depicted his “manifesto” (CBS, 2015). The media describes the contents of the note as the “philosophical ranting of someone who was mad at the world” (CBS, 2015). It also stated that the contents of his note reveal Mercer had a low opinion of himself and his place in the world (CBS, 2015). Moreover, the shooter's social media pages suggest he was interested in the “IRA, frustrated by traditional organized religion and tracked other mass shootings” (CBS, 2015). Reportedly one social media post even suggests he was impressed with the “limelight” that other mass murderers had received for massacre shootings (CBS, 2015).

In the main picture in the article is of the police standing solemn-faced as they stand guard outside the apartment of the shooter. In conjunction with the image, the text in the article presents the criminal justice system as competent, well informed, and vigilant in their search for answers and possible motivation. Though they indicate as of yet there is no connection to any outside involvement or specific reasoning found, the information found and presented seems to suggest that the shooter had premeditated the crime for a long time (CBS, 2015). There is also the implication from the bulletproof vest that the shooter expected to be met with equal force and in a shoot-off with police (CBS, 2015).

Overall the article makes you feel as though the shooter was mentally unwell previous to the shooting. An example: In the first paragraph they cite, depressed and angry (CBS, 2015). Then later reporting they report he had feelings of low self-worth and/or feelings of hopelessness in regard to his place in the world (CBS, 2015).

From a psychological perspective, crime is explained on the individual level, as the result of dysfunctional thought processes and/or behavioral patterns, and/or personality characteristics (Conklin, 2008). The psychological theories that can explain the Umpqua Community College Shootings could be the “psychotic offender”, or a personality “trait theory” which resulted in a “rampage killing”. A personality trait theory perspective would indicate that certain features of personality may contribute to a persistent pattern of behavior that leads one to trouble with the law (Conklin, 2008). Whereas the psychotic patient may be driven impulsively to criminality by the onset of delusions or grandiose ideas (Schmalleger, 2014).

In this example, the investigators reported that the shooter had previously joined the US military in 2008 but was discharged after he failed to meet the military’s standards in boot camp (CBS, 2015). Perhaps this personal failure, in conjunction with “the personal inability, to tolerate frustration without resorting to aggression and violence” could have contributed to his violent behavior (Conklin, 2008). This would be concurrent with both “life course perspective” suggests that turning events in people’s lives can contribute to criminality and psychological theories that indicate a dysfunctional personality features are at the root of criminality.

Being that the crime has multiple victims, is not related to domestic or gang homicide, follows (although not immediately) the discharge from military, and involves a mentally unwell shooter who later dies on the scene, the reported crime fits the description of a rampage killing (Conklin, 2008). Unfortunately, many of these rampage killings involve victims who are unrelated to the cause of the rampage, such as students and teachers (Conklin, 2008). But, the most distinctive features of rampage killings is that the shooters are previously viewed as mentally unstable or mentally unwell and die either by suicide or engaging in activity that will likely kill them (i.e. shooting at an officer) (Conklin, 2008). Thus, it possible, given the information, that the killer was mentally ill, perhaps psychotic, but obviously depressed, filled with self-hatred, and based on his actions-ready to die.

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