Introduction
Many of those who commit crimes face various difficulties after being released from prison. Ex-offenders are likely to encounter problems that lead to recidivism, such as the stigma of incarceration, substance abuse, mental illnesses, and a lack of education (Baloch & Jennings, 2018; Manikandan & Latha, 2017). The latter issue is especially challenging due to impacting such individuals’ possibilities of obtaining jobs. While employment can reduce recidivism and increase social participation alongside community safety, persons discharged from jail have to overcome several barriers when applying for a position (Heydon & Naylor, 2018; Hong et al., 2014). Accordingly, for ex-criminals to not break the law again, they need jobs, getting which depends on receiving an education. Notably, the concerns are mitigated by the notion that some delinquents do not have functional lifestyles even before imprisonment (Gideon & Sung, 2011). Nonetheless, rehabilitation can teach ex-criminals basic skills and conventional norms (Gideon & Sung, 2011). The correctional industry utilizes diverse treatment services, yet the majority of them are not efficient enough. Rehabilitation approaches are being innovated, especially by modern technology, and present new ways of helping ex-offenders readjust in society.
Traditional Rehabilitation Methods
Rehabilitation offers certain benefits for people released from prison but faces substantial problems. Heydon and Naylor (2018) propose that despite people being wary of ex-criminals, community members feel more positive about interacting with individuals who have completed rehabilitation programs. For instance, certificates of rehabilitation, which are provided in some parts of the US, can overwrite the stigmatizing label of being an offender (Heydon & Naylor, 2018). However, the massive growth of the prison population in recent years has generated barriers to sufficient treatment services for those in jails (Hong et al., 2014). Primary obstacles include a lack of offender participation, penitentiary employees deeming that preparation for re-entering society is not their responsibility, and budget constraints hindering the complete implementation of the programs (Gideon & Sung, 2011). A study conducted by the National Council of Crime and Delinquency demonstrates society’s perception that traditional rehabilitation practices do not work, thus leaving prisoners not ready for reintegration (Gideon & Sung, 2011). Accordingly, the correctional industry appears in need of new, more efficient rehabilitation approaches.
Before exploring treatment service innovations for ex-offenders, one should consider the most commonly utilized methods. Employers can participate in rehabilitation programs by offering people released from prison job opportunities for such persons to have the resources to comply with court-ordered restrictions (Baloch & Jennings, 2018; Heydon & Naylor, 2018). For instance, the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 requires state agencies to provide employment and vocational rehabilitation for individuals who have disabilities, including those in the penitentiary (Baloch & Jennings, 2018). Furthermore, many correctional institutions utilize therapeutic communities, which are restorative environments meant to segregate certain inmates from influences associated with poor rehabilitation, such as violence and drugs (Gideon & Sung, 2011). Accordingly, prisons have drug treatment programs to aid convicts with addictions because substance abuse is one of the main reasons for re-offense (Gideon & Sung, 2011). Some rehabilitation methods use cognitive and noncognitive interventions to enhance characteristics like conflict resolution and mental toughness (Hong et al., 2014). Consequently, traditional rehabilitation methods vary and address different aspects of personality.
A significant role in helping ex-offenders re-enter society is played by educational rehabilitation. Conventional prison educational programs concentrate on minimal state and federal schooling standards and typically go along with vocational rehabilitation (Gideon & Sung, 2011). As mentioned above, education and employment are interconnected in reducing recidivism because ex-criminals with job positions have fewer, usually monetary, reasons to re-offend (Gideon & Sung, 2011). Traditional education programs concentrate on general and adult instructional development, college education, recreational services, access to libraries, and different life skills, including anger and conflict management (Gideon & Sung, 2011). Benefits of education for inmates include improved thought processes, enhanced cognitive and analytical aptitudes, increased self-esteem, and a balanced view of life, which results in generating better, more mature decisions (Gideon & Sung, 2011). Therefore, people in prison need educational rehabilitation to learn both academic and interpersonal skills to find employment that would prevent them from recidivism.
Innovative Approaches: Technology
New rehabilitation practices in the correctional industry are significantly associated with the usage of modern technology. Notably, the criminal justice system has been utilizing technology for a long period. For example, law enforcement employs body-worn cameras that record all interactions and increase accountability and transparency (Ticknor, 2019). Accordingly, rehabilitation approaches have begun using new technologies (NT) to monitor the risk and needs of lawbreakers and develop more effective treatment plans (Ticknor, 2019). NT offer innovative solutions that advance various aspects of life, including correctional rehabilitation.
Video Games
The first model of utilizing NT in treatment services for offenders is video games (VG). The method is based on teaching specific skills through repetitive play using desktop computers to break larger goals into smaller tasks (Ticknor, 2019). VG help in training social skills and developing coping strategies that can decrease deviant and criminal behavior while focusing on more important matters (Ticknor, 2019). Baloch and Jennings (2018) mention that approximately half of the prison inmate population have a mental illness, and Ticknor (2019) suggests that VG therapy can aid in managing certain conditions. For instance, some people who have severe cases of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder are at risk of illegal conduct, which can be addressed by VG (Ticknor, 2019). Consequently, a new rehabilitation approach that utilizes VG can instruct inmates and help them handle specific conditions associated with unlawful demeanor.
Computer-Simulated Learning
Another NT technique that can help lawbreakers rehabilitate is computer-simulated learning (CSL). Unlike VG, CSL is based on real-world scenarios that change depending on the selections of the users, who have a narrow set of actions they can take to finish the simulation (Ticknor, 2019). For example, a study focusing on violent offenders demonstrated CSL’s ability to teach such individuals different social skills and encourage them to consider the consequences of their decisions (Ticknor, 2019). Accordingly, CLS can aid in rehabilitating inmates by showing them how their behavior affects their lives and others.
Virtual Reality
One of the most innovative usages of NT in rehabilitation is virtual reality (VR). While being similar to CSL, VR does not significantly restrict people’s decisions and actions and generates larger environments than those in VG and CSL (Ticknor, 2019). Correctional rehabilitation is primarily focused on semi-immersive designs that engage several sensory systems and employ high-resolution monitors, head-mounted displays, or projectors (Ticknor, 2019). VR in treatment has been utilized by psychologists to manage such disorders as anxiety, substance abuse, and demeanor issues, which can often be seen in offenders (Dolezal et al., 2022; Ticknor, 2019). An approach most commonly used in offender rehabilitation aims at cognitive behavior, with VR educating inmates on better social functioning and overcoming challenging situations (Dolezal et al., 2022; Ticknor, 2019). For instance, VR rehabilitation can improve skills based on the requirements of each specific individual, enhance assertiveness, and facilitate the regulation of emotions (Dolezal et al., 2022). Consequently, the usage of VR in rehabilitation allows teaching lawbreakers aptitudes that they are likely to need when reintegrating into society.
Evaluation
One must consider several advantages and disadvantages of NT in rehabilitation to evaluate the methods. As mentioned earlier, the main causes behind the ineffectiveness of traditional rehabilitation approaches are budget constraints and a lack of participation from both inmates and prison employees (Gideon & Sung, 2011). For example, an offender cannot fully engage in a program because a certain practice does not adequately address the needs of the individual, which makes them unprepared for re-entering society (Gideon & Sung, 2011). The primary drawback of the usage of NT is the expensiveness, especially concerning VR (Dolezal et al., 2022; Ticknor, 2019). While the cost of hardware and software varies depending on the desired level of simulation experience, many prison entities cannot afford the reviewed NT (Ticknor, 2019). Moreover, the application of NT, specifically VR, requires training the correctional staff on how to operate NT (Ticknor, 2019). Although most programs have user-friendly interfaces and demand only basic computer knowledge, prison employees are likely to resist learning NT (Gideon & Sung, 2011; Ticknor, 2019). Consequently, NT presents obstacles regarding costs and the necessity of having trained personnel.
On the other hand, NT in rehabilitation offers considerable advantages that address the deficiencies of conventional methods. First, each of the three discussed NT can fully engage inmates in the education process, including those who have such conditions as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (Ticknor, 2019). Second, NT can potentially be tailored according to the characteristics of each person, thus meeting their unique learning needs (Dolezal et al., 2022). Third, VG, CSL, and VR are based on real-world scenarios and introduce challenges that offenders may face, which increases the chances of successful reintegration (Dolezal et al., 2022; Ticknor, 2019). Therefore, rehabilitation approaches that use NT can be evaluated as moderately effective because they are more efficient than traditional practices but are difficult to obtain due to their costs.
New Art-Related Treatment Services
The utilization of arts can be considered as a new treatment service that can enable education and lead to additional opportunities for employment. Art and such similar practices as music, drama, and exercising are typically viewed as recreational methods associated with education but seem to concentrate more on relaxation rather than instruction (Gideon & Sung, 2011). For instance, the state of California lists arts within offender activity groups rather than educational or even treatment programs (California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, n.d.). It is arguable whether art-related approaches are effective in directly decreasing recidivism, but they are quite useful in enabling the learning process among inmates (Rosenbaum, 2019). In particular, rehabilitation based on arts serves as a reintroduction to and impetus for schooling (Rosenbaum, 2019). Art education is supportive and rewarding when compared to authoritarian learning found in most classrooms (Rosenbaum, 2019). Accordingly, the application of art is an innovative technique when viewed as a facilitator of instruction rather than simply a recreational activity.
More specific art-related treatment services are represented by yoga and drumming. Unlike other exercises, yoga has only recently been introduced in prisons but is shown to be helpful in enhancing executive-functioning skills and cognitive behavior (Derlic, 2020). For example, Rosenbaum (2019) mentions the Art of Yoga Project, which is an approach that incorporates yoga, art, and journaling and is aimed at adolescent girls in custody to aid them in thriving upon release. In comparison, Hill et al. (2019) propose that the art of drumming can generate a collective learning process that results in better communication skills and solidarity among participants. Hill et al. (2019) suggest that drumming unites people involved in the practice, thus creating bonds that can lead to improved academic performance. Consequently, such art-related activities as yoga and drumming can connect people and encourage them to learn.
Rehabilitation that is based on arts and similar techniques has both advantages and disadvantages. Considering the two reviewed practices, drumming and yoga, it is evident that they can facilitate the educational process by advancing communication dexterities and managing behavioral issues (Derlic, 2020; Hill et al., 2019; Rosenbaum, 2019). However, there is a lack of long-term studies on the implementation. For instance, Derlic (2020) raises questions regarding the form and duration of yoga that would be the most helpful. Moreover, inmates who need these treatment services may not have opportunities or desire to participate (Derlic, 2020). In addition, such programs are usually developed by outside specialists who occasionally visit prisons but may not teach the practices in ways that would benefit specific individuals (Derlic, 2020; Rosenbaum, 2019). Therefore, art-related activities in rehabilitation can be evaluated as moderately effective because they can advance demeanor and lead to better education, but only if inmates partake in adequately organized treatment. Accordingly, more academic research is needed to determine the best strategies for such rehabilitation alongside more control in prisons regarding implementation.
The Application of the Bible
The above-discussed rehabilitation approaches can be enhanced through faith and, specifically, the usage of the Bible. While religious programs are not new to the correctional industry, they do not receive enough attention compared to other methods (Gideon & Sung, 2011). Nonetheless, faith-based rehabilitation is connected to personal and emotional well-being and teaches inmates to choose a better self while caring for others (Johnson, 2021; Gideon & Sung, 2011). For example, such verses as “As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men” can be utilized to remind ex-offenders not to harm people (King James Bible, 1987, Galatians 6:10). Moreover, religious interventions can help in reducing recidivism (Johnson, 2021). For instance, prisons can use verses like “I think toward you… thoughts of peace, and not of evil” to encourage inmates that God can help them succeed (King James Bible, 1987, Jeremiah 29:11). Johnson (2021) suggests that faith-based treatment services are cost-effective, especially when programs are privately funded and invite volunteers to provide restorative assistance. Accordingly, religious rehabilitation can be employed alongside other methods to increase their usefulness by guiding inmates’ behavior towards hope.
Conclusion
To summarize, innovative rehabilitation approaches are meant to help ex-offenders re-enter society through the usage of modern technology and new ways of utilizing conventional methods. Rehabilitation provides ex-criminals with more opportunities to advance by educating them on diverse skills necessary to find jobs that can prevent recidivism. However, treatment services that have been utilized for a long period in the correctional industry vary but have considerable weaknesses, such as disengagement from both inmates and prison staff. New rehabilitation programs, like virtual reality, appear more efficient in addressing outlaws’ personal and learning needs but are quite expensive. Other approaches, such as those incorporating arts with yoga, facilitate education and improve demeanor, but their implementation seems not sufficient enough. Therefore, while modified rehabilitation tactics are being introduced, several issues, like budget restrictions, have to be resolved for ex-offenders to have access to adequate treatment. Meanwhile, cost-effective faith-based interventions can be employed to give inmates hope for becoming fine members of society.
References
Baloch, N. A., & Jennings, W. G. (2018). Offender vocational rehabilitation services and post release employment: A case for inmates with disabilities. Journal of Offender Rehabilitation, 57(6), 402-414. Web.
California Department of Corrections & Rehabilitation. (n.d.). Rehabilitative programs and services. CDCR. Web.
Derlic, D. (2020). A systematic review of literature: Alternative offender rehabilitation – Prison yoga, mindfulness, and meditation. Journal of Correctional Health Care, 26(4), 361-375. Web.
Dolezal, D., Supe, M., & Nisevic, A. J. (2022). Possibilities of applying virtual reality in the education and offender rehabilitation. Proceedings of 16th International Technology, Education and Development Conference, 1479-1487. Web.
Gideon, L. & Sung, H. (2011). Rethinking corrections: Rehabilitation, re-entry, and reintegration (3rd ed.). Los Angeles: SAGE.
Heydon, G., & Naylor, B. (2018). Criminal record checking and employment: The importance of policy and proximity. Australian & New Zealand Journal of Criminology, 51(3), 372-394. Web.
Hill, J. C., Hains, K. D., & Hains, B. J. (2019). Innovative forms of rehabilitation: Enhancing communities of practice through the art of drumming. Community Development, 50(5), 557-571. Web.
Hong, P. Y. P., Lewis, D., & Choi, S. (2014). Employment hope as an empowerment pathway to self-sufficiency among ex-offenders. Journal of Offender Rehabilitation, 53(5), 317-333. Web.
Johnson, B. R. (2021). How religion contributes to the common good, positive criminology, and justice reform. Religions, 12(6), 1-11. Web.
King James Bible. (1987). Bible Gateway. Web.
Manikandan, S., & Latha, S. (2017). Employment reduces recidivism: An overview of employment-based rehabilitation in India. Indian Social Science Journal, 6(2), 1-8.
Rosenbaum, J. L. (2019). Art and mindfulness behind bars. The Prison Journal, 99(4), 3S-13S. Web.
Ticknor, B. (2019). Virtual reality and correctional rehabilitation: A game changer. Criminal Justice and Behavior, 46(9), 1319-1336. Web.