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  • Essay / Correctional Education: How Education Reduces Recidivism Rates for Juvenile Offenders

    Juveniles and their involvement in the criminal justice system have become a significant issue in our modern society. Formerly incarcerated youth are at high risk of recidivism. In fact, more than half are re-incarcerated within three years of release. To combat high rates of re-incarceration, we must put in place a system that guarantees that these formerly incarcerated young people will be rehabilitated. Studies have shown that there is a direct correlation between correctional education and recidivism rates for youth offenders and that youth who participate in correctional education programs while incarcerated will have better outcomes after release. Providing juveniles with correctional education will also increase their chances of obtaining employment, which is linked to low recidivism rates, because they can support themselves without resorting to criminal activity. Correctional education for young offenders will ensure that fewer young people engage in further criminal activity. Correctional education is important because it reduces recidivism among young offenders since it provides them with the opportunity to change their personal behavior and values. Say no to plagiarism. Get a custom essay on "Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned"? Get an original essay Youth incarceration is a crucial point in intellectual development and because of these factors, formerly incarcerated youth are at risk of high risk of recidivism, in fact, more than half are re-incarcerated within three years of their release. Former Attorney General Loretta Lynch said that "too often, justice-involved people who have paid their debt to society face daunting barriers to accessing good jobs, decent housing, health care health and quality education” (Pace, 2018). Lynch goes on to explain that young people need the knowledge and skills to obtain employment, which will help them integrate into their community. According to “Educational Services in Juvenile Corrections: 40 Years of Litigation and Reform” by Peter E. Leone and Pamela Cichon Wruble, “each day, approximately 61,000 youth are in detention and incarceration centers across the United States. United.” According to “From Correctional Education to School Reentry: How Formerly Incarcerated Youth Can Achieve Better Educational Outcomes” by Sonia Pace, “Each year, approximately 100,000 young people exit juvenile justice facilities and return to their communities to do facing a myriad of challenges, including difficulties re-entering high school and obtaining a diploma” (Pace, 2018, p.128). These results suggest that an inefficient system currently exists. These formerly incarcerated youth often experienced trauma and neglect prior to their incarceration and are in significant need of mental health and substance abuse treatment services and are also more likely to experience poverty and financial responsibilities. Additionally, Pace found that twenty-three percent of incarcerated youth have learning disabilities. An estimated 75 percent of the 150,000 young people detained in 2009 were high school dropouts, and many were not fully literate. Correctional education is important because it reduces recidivism among young offenders since it provides them with the opportunity to change their personal behavior and values. Juvenile correctional education is part of the system ofcriminal justice in the United States for centuries and has evolved to adapt to changes. that occur. According to "The Metamorphosis of Juvenile Correctional Education: From Accidental Conception to Intentional Inclusion" by James H. Keeley, "juvenile correctional education has been evolving in the United States for more than 360 years." Juvenile correctional education began in the Massachusetts colony in 1642, under a servant/foster care arrangement (Keeley, 2004). Juvenile education has been enveloped in the cocoon of the dominant justice system throughout United States history because its emergence was initially indistinguishable since education was incidental to other modalities of management and treatment of juveniles. incarceration. A clear distinction in the education of juveniles emerged during the refuge and reform era of the 19th century, where legal and social reformers presented education as the basis for new types of institutions such as reformatories and industrial schools. These changes are particularly important in that they established education within juvenile justice with an emphasis on basic and practical skills and were generally accepted by correctional authorities and social reformers as this level of education was most appropriate for these young offenders (Keely, 2004). The federal government took a major step in correctional education through the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act by granting young people with disabilities the right to special education services, and this right was explicitly expanded to the incarceration of people under the age of 21 through the Education for All Handicapped Children Act of 1975. These steps taken by the federal government demonstrate the ways in which the government is attempting to combat these problems . Additionally, in 1990, educational programs in juvenile institutions were expanded when a national project, Law-Related Education, expanded with funding from the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention of the Ministry of Justice. This demonstrates that the issues surrounding juvenile offenders are widely recognized, as well as the need to educate juvenile offenders. Research indicates that educational attainment is strongly correlated with recidivism rates, and that higher levels of academic proficiency are associated with lower recidivism rates. According to the article “Why Prisoner Education is Key to Reducing Crime” by Mike Riggs, “Educating people while they are behind bars makes them much less likely to return to prison once they are released.” Riggs uses references from the RAND Corporation, and they determined that "inmates who participated in correctional education programs were 43 percent less likely to become repeat offenders than inmates who did not participate" (Riggs, 2013). Statistics once again show that there is a clear correlation between correctional education and recidivism. While these measures will not deter all youth from further problems, well-developed youth education programs will ensure that fewer youth persist and engage in criminal behavior. Additionally, according to "Professional Development: A Capacity Building Model for the Juvenile Correctional Education System" by Sarup R. Mathur, Heather Griller Clark and Naomi A. Schoenfeld, "Youth in correctional facilities face a large range of educational, psychological, medical and social needs. The developmentprofessional, a systemic process that improves students' chances of success by building the educator's capabilities, is a powerful way to positively influence student outcomes. This is significant, as Sonia Pace mentioned, that incarceration during youth is a crucial point in intellectual development and that due to these factors, formerly incarcerated youth are at high risk of recidivism. In fact, more than half are returned to prison within three years. exit (Pace, 2018). By providing education to young people who are in juvenile correctional facilities, this will most certainly result in positive effects since it is a crucial point in their intellectual development. Additionally, according to “Does Inmate Education Improve Post-Release Outcomes?” A Meta-Analysis of Correctional Education Programs in the United States” by Robert Bozick, Jennifer Steele, Lois Davis, and Susan Turner, “Educational programs can help by providing course content that helps develop moral reasoning, which in turn should attenuate the impulse to engage in criminal behavior post-release.” By understanding their consequences through these academic courses offered in prisons, juveniles will be less likely to engage in criminal behavior after their release. By acquiring new bodies of knowledge through academic coursework, inmates can potentially gain the theoretical context that can accelerate their transition to more mature developmental states. Additionally, the child savers movement that began in 1850, with reformers known as child savers, believed that children should be educated and protected (Keeley, 2004). This program of these child savers can be directly associated with the belief that correctional education is necessary. Providing education to young offenders will inevitably reduce their recidivism rates, as explained in the article “Why They Play Shakespeare in Prison; In California, Shakespeare shows students and inmates actions and their consequences. » Sean Elder says: “Shakespeare's simulated violence has the potential to prevent real violence.” Sean Elder determined that there is a direct correlation between correctional education and recidivism and he references a statement by Philippa Kelly, one of the co-founders of the Making Shakespeare Real and Relevant program, and she states that "what is horrible about Othello is that at the beginning he is completely clear and understandable to himself: he knows himself so well. And as the play progresses, he becomes unrecognizable. It’s a fear that we all have.” Kelly's approach allows inmates who participate in the program to understand their actions and their consequences. It is evident that Shakespeare's teachings in prison made the prisoners feel more remorse for their past actions. This is particularly relevant according to Lesley Currier, one of the founders of a program called Shakespeare for Justice, where she states that "when inmates have the opportunity to do programs like this, it makes the whole prison safer." . Currier also argues that “in the case of Macbeth, where the inmates were discussing the nature of crime: why does someone choose to break the law? What are the unintended consequences? » (Elder, 2016). The program allows these participants, particularly young offenders, to reflect on their past actions as well as the consequences of their actions. Using correctional education as a recidivism tool for minors is therefore something both desirable and beneficial. The positive results ofeducation, as evidenced by the effects of Shakespeare's remorse, will undoubtedly benefit minors. Strengthening correctional education and reentry services will undoubtedly reduce the future criminal involvement of youth who were formerly involved in the juvenile justice system (Pace, 2018). Additionally, according to “Correctional Education and Recidivism: Toward a Tool for Reduction” by Lori L. Hall, “a general consensus among researchers suggests that correctional education plays a major role in the rehabilitation of inmates” (Hall, 2015, p.6). Additionally, Hall (2015) found that education as a recidivism reduction tool can provide many benefits across the United States. The education benefit refers to a reduction in the costs associated with incarcerating offenders because education helps reduce the strain on offenders and their families and boosts the economy of society. Therefore, correctional education reduces the likelihood that inmates will return to prison. Using correctional education as a tool to combat recidivism is therefore undoubtedly beneficial for young offenders. Additionally, Hall (2015) found that effective correctional programs and studies have all unanimously concluded that correctional education, particularly college or university, has a negative correlation with recidivism. By implementing effective forms of correctional education programs in prison will reduce recidivism rates. This is particularly beneficial for young offenders involved in the criminal justice system. It is evident that there is strong evidence to suggest that correctional education will benefit young offenders, particularly its negative correlation with recidivism, as Hall suggests. Additionally, there is a strong correlation between postrelease employment and recidivism, according to "The Effect of Correctional Education on Postrelease Employment and Recidivism: A 5-Year Follow-Up Study in the State of Indiana" by Susan Lockwood, John M. Nally, Taiping Ho, and Katie Knutson, “Education Reduced Recidivism and Improved Employment Opportunities Upon Release.” A comprehensive study conducted by the Urban Institute's Justice Policy Center concluded that employment is an important indicator of an offender's successful reentry into the community and recidivism as well. The study also argues that employment provides former prisoners with a constant source of funding for food, housing, clothing, transportation and other basic amenities. Employment also gives former inmates a sense of efficacy and self-sufficiency, thereby boosting released inmates' confidence in their ability to support themselves without having to resort to criminal activity or dependence on family members. This study shows that having an education will increase offenders' likelihood of employment so that they can support themselves without resorting to criminal activities. This directly relates to Sonia Pace's findings, as they show that juveniles, while obtaining an education in prison, will be more likely to find employment upon release from prison, thereby reducing their recidivism rate. Keep in mind: this is just a sample. a custom paper now from our expert writers.Get a custom essayEvidence suggests that correctional education is important because it reduces recidivism among young offenders since it provides them with opportunities to change their personal behavior and values. Leone and Wruble (2015) found that educational attainment is strongly correlated with recidivism rates and that higher levels of academic proficiency are/6812/