Programs Jails and Prisons Offer

Jails and prisons have various types of programs, which all aim at helping the inmate in some form or another. Almost all prisons have educational programs, a large quantity of inmates end up getting their GEDs while incarcerated. Correction facilities believe that teaching the inmates things like math, literature, science, and history will motivate them to continue to better themselves and even pursue higher education. Although, very seldom upon release, they pursue higher education, but they do feel capable of getting and maintaining a job.

               Jails and prisons also provide work programs, which better ensure them getting and maintaining a job. The work programs teach the inmates special skills they can use upon release to get a job. The programs will teach the inmates basic things like how to apply and interview for job, being that many do not have the best experience in doing so. Many programs also teach them how to manage their own money and making it last, how to manage a household, and live a healthy life. These programs also teach them how to form and keep relationships with people in any kind of setting, have it be work or romantic. A long with teaching them these basic skills needed for acquiring a job, some institutions will also give the inmates certain work assignments. The assignment includes maintenance of the facility, working on the prison farm, and working in a prison industry. Some believe that the prison or jails main purpose for assigning the inmates to these types of jobs is to prevent them from just standing around doing nothing, rather than trying to help them learn work skills for their release into the free world. There are also psychological and counseling programs available for inmates.

               The psychological and counseling programs main goal is to alter the offender’s way of thinking and behaving. They aim to stop the criminal acts by having them confront their issues and understanding what they did was wrong. The most common form of treatment in jails and prisons for drug use. There has been a huge increase in drug related crimes or crimes committed under the influence of some form of drug. Therefore, it has become extremely important to treat the inmates suffering from drug use or abuse. Even though the amount of drug treatment programs has risen, it is not keeping up with the number of inmates that need to be a part of it. Group counseling is another form of treatment that is common for inmates, these programs prioritize having the inmate give up their criminal ways of thinking and behaving. There are many other forms of psychological treatments and ways of helping the inmate change their criminal behavior.

               Most people are not aware of the fact that some of the people that are currently in jail or prison have some sort of mental disorder. This is due to several different reasons. I recently visited the Utah county jail and learned that some of the people in there with mental disabilities are in there because the other institutions could not fit them. Others are in there because of committing heinous crimes due to their mental disabilities. For example, a few years ago, two young girls attempted to murder their friend because the “Slenderman” wanted them to do it. The young girl who was the brains of the who operation was diagnosed with schizophrenia, which is a brain disorder that cause realistic illusions. The young girl genuinely believed in “Slenderman” and convinced her other friend to kill the other young girl in efforts to protect their families from him. This most definitely is not the first case where people commit crimes because of their mental disorder, a lot of murderers have psychopathy and when not treated correctly can cause them to do terrible things. Therefore, it is imperative to have programs that can prevent these people from doing terrible things while in prison.

               Few, believe in the necessity for treatment or rehabilitative programs in jails and prisons. However, its prevalence is obvious, especially when it comes to the inmates who still have a chance becoming people who can be a good member of the community. The need for more programs is growing and people have to realize it is fundamental in getting people to stay out of jail and prisons. In the long run this will be more beneficial, financially, for each state.

Sources:

http://law.jrank.org/pages/1935/Rehabilitation-Correctional-programs-in-United-States.html