Inmate therapy costing taxpayers $7,300 each

Participation is voluntary in group discussions on “goal setting,” “learning style,” “healing” and other topics.

“For every 100 offenders who receive correctional programming, total savings due to readmission rates amount to more than $1.1 million,” said the study.

“Correctional programs are considered cost effective.”

Auditors said preliminary data show inmates who completed the seminars had a nine per cent less chance of committing more crime after parole, but acknowledged research was incomplete.

“The ultimate goal of correctional programs is to assist offenders in becoming law-abiding citizens, said the report, noting an average 7,000 federal inmates are paroled annually.

“It is important to acknowledge this cost analysis does not account for other tangible costs of crime such as police and court costs, and health care costs for victims.

“Previous studies have indicated the tangible costs of crime are substantial.”

The Justice department in 2008 put costs of crime at $31 billion a year.

Researchers examined penitentiary workshops over the five-year period from 2013 to 2018. Findings included interviews with 209 inmates, typically men under 40.

“Two-thirds considered the main program as engaging or very engaging,” including “discussions, activities and the opportunity to learn from others,” while some inmates complained of “discomfort and disinterest in sharing personal or offence-related details” and considered the seminars had “limited relevance,” wrote auditors.

“Most offenders provided positive feedback regarding the skills and strategies they were provided in order to apply self-management or healing plans.

“These skills were related to self-awareness, goal setting and future planning as well as understanding and changing behaviour.

“However a few offenders reported areas of disagreement, noting the skills and strategies were difficult to apply, were irrelevant, and would not apply outside the institution.”

The study found women successfully completed their seminars more quickly than men, but that results of workshops for drug addicts were uneven.

“Harm reduction principles are used to address a number of substance use concerns, ranging from promoting abstinence to less harmful use,” said the report.

“The objective of the model is not necessarily to abstain from substance use, but to reduce the harmful use of substances. Individuals are asked to clearly explore the impact of any use upon their goals.”

Dave Naylor is the News Editor of the Western Standard

dnaylor@westernstandardonline.com

Twitter.com/nobby7694