Incarceration Summary

While the article covers recidivism the author tells us that the main goal of this article (2010) “The purpose of this study is to analyze the association of employment and incarceration for a sample of released prisoners in Texas” (p.707). This also covers the recidivism In the United States over the years. Incarceration rates went from the hundreds of thousands in the 1970’s to over 2 million by 2008 and this lead to major overcrowding. Which then lead to the largest amount of prisoners ever to have been released, causing difficultly for ex-prisoners in transition of prison life to home life. Most of them have been in prison for many years, and they lack the experience and social skills needed to get a good well paying job. Without a job within the first year of freedom they are more likely to go back to crime and eventually prison.

A full time job gives them stability, and gives them something to go to everyday instead of being on the streets. Another reason they cannot find employment is because the majority of the better employers do not hire ex-prisoners because they do not believe the ex-prisoners would have the motivation or skills to show up to work. Vocational training programs have been funded in many states. These programs give the prisoners training while they are incarcerated so when they are released they have vital skills. The A process from the National Research Council includes three stages of behavioral change because they consider desistance from criminal behavior a behavioral change instead of an anticipated result. This study concludes that it is crucial that we need to cut recidivism, and if we cut reincarceration rates throughout the United States we would be able to shrink prison overcrowding and make our society