Transcript The Criminal Justice System

Life After Incarceration
Criminal Justice System
Top 3 Ways to Fight Recidivism
Soft & Hard Skills
People Who Made It
Your Plan
Frank L. Greenagel
Jr.
MPAP, MSW, LCSW, LCADC
ACSW, CJC, ICADC
Director of Community Affairs – College Recovery
NJ Governor’s Council on Drug Abuse &
Alcoholism
Adjunct Professor – Rutgers School of Social Work
Instructor – Rutgers Center of Alcohol Studies
1st LT – PA Army National Guard
[email protected]
www.greenagel.com
The Criminal Justice System
• Food, toilet, bed, light, fear, time, joy & pain of
visits, and being told what to do.
• 2,266,800 adults in jail or prison in 2011
• .7% of the US population
• 4,814,200 adults on probation or parole
• 6,977,700 in criminal justice system
• 53% of arrested males and 39% of arrested
females are re-incarcerated (’03)
• 50 - 75% of people in prison or jail have a
substance abuse history
Question
What are the top 3 ways to fight
recidivism?
3 Top Ways to Fight Recidivism
• #1
• #2
• #3
JOB
Sobriety
Education
Soft Skills
#1
Promptness
- show up
- show up on time
Soft Skills
#2 Hygiene & Grooming
Soft Skills
#3 Manners
Soft Skills Review
(1)Promptness
(2)Hygiene/Grooming
(3)Manners
Hard Skills
#1 Reading
- Follow directions
- Understand memos
- Analyze reports
Hard Skills
#2 Writing
- Very few people can write
- Take extra writing classes
- It will separate
- you from everyone
else
Hard Skills
#3 Math
Hard Skills
#4 Ability to Use Technology
Hard Skills Review
(1) Reading
(2) Writing
(3) Math
(4) Ability to use technology
Bare Minimum
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Transportation
Long time since last arrest
HS Diploma
Professionalism (don’t bring chaos to
work)
A Paragon of Success
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BA & other degress
Good credit score
Clean driving record
Specialized Skills
Other experiences
• Work abroad
• Travel
• Different Experiences
Reasons to go to Therapy
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Concerns about future
Romantic Relationships
Sexual Identity
Grief/Loss
Academic Stress
Work Stress
Interpersonal Stress
Substance Abuse
The First Day of Freedom
• Don’t drink. Don’t smoke. Don’t snort.
Don’t take pills. Don’t shoot.
• Avoid people, places and things.
Seriously.
• Go out for a nice lunch or dinner.
• Plan an out-of-state trip.
• Continue with some kind of therapy
Questions I Ask People in Jail
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Name
Hometown
What do you do for fun?
Substance problem? Drug of choice?
Charge
First time in jail or repeat offender
Who’s fault?
What will be different?
The First Month of Freedom
• So much depends upon the first day, week
and month.
• Are you changing addresses?
• What will you do for work and/or school?
• Are you cutting off old friends, or will you
roll the dice?
Adjusting to Life After
Incarceration
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Completing drug court
How to avoid old friends
How to avoid old trouble
Not trying to make up for lost time
Telling people about your past
How to handle money
How to get into a healthy romantic
relationship
People Who Made It
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Harold Hughes
Charles S. Dutton
Ben Chin
Regina Diamond
Robert Downey Jr. & Iron Man
Your Plan
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1st day out of jail or prison
Avoid people, places and things
Meaningful job and/or education
Continued non-use
– Suggested follow-thru with 12-step meetings
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Exercise
Therapy
Learn how to handle money
Hobbies
Travel
Help others
What a professional helper can
do
• Connect with services
– Housing
– Employment
– Counseling
– Education/Training
– Social Supports
• This is one of the great market inefficiencies
Where will you go?