Hope. That is quite possibly one of the strongest words in the English language.

We hope for many things, we hope for wealth, to achieve our dreams, and to succeed. We may hope for money or possessions, or in the time of need we may hope for another- whether it be for them to have the muscle to overcome physical obstacles, the ability to overcome a health difficulty, or perhaps the mental strength to surpass some of life’s many trials.

In America, we live in a society where most people are granted a second chance. Right now, across the nation, there are currently about 70,000 ex-offenders that leave prisons each year. Many do this with the hope of starting over, doing right, and being reunited with their families, with the idea of becoming a more productive member of society.

But sadly, this doesn’t come true as often as it should. In fact, nationwide, nearly 70% of all inmates are re-arrested within 3 years of being released, and nearly 50% return to prison in that same time frame.

Those statistics are quite depressing, so our government is attempting to do something about it. The Justice Department’s Bureau of Justice Assistance is overseeing $165 million in grants to local communities nationwide to help former inmates make a smooth transition back to normal everyday life. Thus far, the government has distributed $28 million to try to keep those who have served their time from becoming repeat offenders.

For the last four years the state of Michigan has been hosting an experiment to put this idea into practice, and it has produced some interesting results. In fact, the statistics of ex-offenders ending up back behind bars have dropped from 55% to 38%. Only 11% of the program’s 713 participants have been convicted of a new crime or committed a parole violation that has sent them back to prison.

So, how does this program work?

Ex- offenders are involved in weekly sessions (after their release) with doctors, lawyers, community leaders, and police officers that help to play a part in the intensive support that these ex-offenders need. This counseling begins 60-90 days before they are released, and once they are out they are set up with a program tailored to their needs. Whether it is temporary housing, employment assistance, or any kind of drug or alcohol counseling, these ex-inmates are given the support and assistance that they may require to help them become upstanding members of society.

They gather for periodic meetings to collectively celebrate new jobs and new opportunities and rally behind others who might need a helping hand. This support makes it easier to make good decisions and harder to make bad ones if they are held accountable through the group.

Job placement is a big hurdle that these men and women face; in fact, the unemployment rate for ex-prisoners is almost 80% in some parts of our country. Without jobs it is nearly impossible to keep up financially, and that is how many of these individuals end up back in the prison system.

This idea of helping prisoners transition back into normal life in their communities is a new one, but with our nations prisons becoming more and more overcrowded we need to start thinking in the direction of keeping rehabilitated persons out. Rhode Island officials are starting to work with offenders up to 6 months before their release date to teach them the skills that will be necessary in finding a job, such as proper appearance for interviews and how to handle questions about their criminal pasts.

Just like any other question- their best advice is to be honest, and that honesty can come a little easier if these men and women know that they have a support system backing them up- with a little hope- to help them achieve the goal of not going back to jail.

Author Bio: “Your” Money Matters By Carl Hampton From the Author of “From Credit Despair To Credit Millionaire” Http://CarlHampton.com

Category: Advice
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