The Role of Corrections Facilities in Preparing Offenders for Reentry
Many critics argue that the criminal justice system is simply a “holding cell” for criminals where they are locked away until their sentences are served, without gaining any useful skills or job readiness for when they eventually reenter society. To address this, many correctional facilities are improving opportunities for inmates to gain these types of skills and make a smoother transition to regular life. What new skills should these facilities provide? Should opportunities be provided to all inmates or just some? Are the programs to develop skills useful?

To Prepare:

Using the National Institute of Justice website, research and identify a program within a correctional facility that provides inmates with job skills and/or training.
Consider whether the program is effective.

Post the program you identified. Explain two ways inmates have transitioned back into society positively because of the training and/or skills acquired through the program. Alternatively, explain two ways in which the program fails to transition inmates back into society.





Learning Resources
Book Excerpt
 Cullen, F. T. (2017). Correctional theory (2nd ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications, Inc.

Chapter 1, “From Theory to Policy: Evidence-Based Corrections” (pp. 2–26)
 Cullen, F. T. (2017). Correctional theory (2nd ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications, Inc.

Chapter 2, “Correctional Theory in Crisis: America’s Changing Content” (pp. 27–42)
 Cullen, F. T. (2017). Correctional theory (2nd ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications, Inc.

Chapter 6, “Restorative Justice: Reintegrative Shaming” (pp. 146–170)
 Cullen, F. T. (2017). Correctional theory (2nd ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications, Inc.

Chapter 7, “Rehabilitation: What Works to Change Offenders” (pp. 171–204)
 Cullen, F. T. (2017). Correctional theory (2nd ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications, Inc.

Chapter 8, “Reentry: Saving Offenders from Life in Crime” (pp. 206–239)
 Correctional Theory, 2nd Edition by Cullen, F. T. Copyright 2017 by Sage College. Reprinted by permission of Sage College via the Copyright Clearance Center.

Article
Garland, D. (2017). Theoretical advances in the sociology of punishment. Punishment & Society, 20(1), 8–33. 

Note: You will access this article from the Walden Library databases.

Hansen, G. V. (2017). “Fathers in prison” program may create a basis for desistance among Norwegian prisoners, Journal of Offender Rehabilitation, 56(3), 173–187. 

Note: You will access this article from the Walden Library databases.

Manikandan, S., & Latha, S. (2017). Employment reduces recidivism: An overview of employment based rehabilitation in India. Indian Social Science Journal, 6(2), 1–8. 

Note: You will access this article from the Walden Library databases.

Ramakers, A. T., Van Wilsem, J. A., Nieuwbeerta, P., & Dirkzwager, A. E. (2016). Returning to a former employer: A potentially successful pathway to ex-prisoner re-employment. British Journal of Criminology, 56(4), 668–688.

Note: You will access this article from the Walden Library databases.

Websites
 KPMG. (2017, July 21). Reimagine prisons: Building futures. Retrieved from https://home.kpmg.com/uk/en/home/insights/2017/07/reimagine-building-skills-in-prison.html

 Newberg, M. (2017, April 10). Convicts at San Quentin State Prison are learning to code — and some land jobs in tech when they get out. Retrieved March 26, 2018, from https://www.cnbc.com/2017/04/10/san-quentin-inmate-coding-program-the-last-mile.html

 Roy, A. (2017, July 22). Defy Ventures helps inmates make the shift from prison to small business owners. Retrieved from https://www.cnbc.com/2017/07/22/defy-ventures-helps-inmates-make-the-shift-from-prison-to-small-business-owners.html

 Zoukis, C. (2017, November 11). Soft-skills programming a success in county jail. Retrieved from https://prisoneducation.com/prison-education-news/soft-skills-programming-a-success-in-county-jail/


Use the following Resource to examine the effectiveness of job skills/training and reentry programs for the Discussion and Assignment:

 National Institute of Justice, CrimeSolutions.gov. (n.d.). All programs & practices. Retrieved March 26, 2018, from https://www.crimesolutions.gov/Programs.aspx#view-programs

Optional Media
 CNBC. (2017, July 24). Defy Ventures [Video file]. Retrieved from https://www.cnbc.com/video/2017/07/21/defy-ventures.html

 Inside Edition. (2018, February 18). Beauty therapy course gives prison inmates skills for a better future [Video file]. Retrieved from https://youtu.be/lj1BkgOiPxE