Recidivism In Prisons

As of May 2017, the United States had 666 people incarcerated per 100,000 U.S. residents (U.S Bureau of Justice Statistics, 2017) putting the United States at the top of the list for highest number of incarcerated individuals per capita of any other developed country in the world. Although this statistic is alarming at least 95% of all inmates currently incarcerated in the United States will ultimately be released back into their respective communities (Washington, DC: The Pew Charitable Trusts, April 2011) and transition from prison to normal life often proves quite difficult for some former convicts. Once an individual has a felony on their record it prevents them from numerous job opportunities, government funded programs, and puts enormous strain on the individual which may led to entering

Obstacles such as reconnecting with family and friends who may not have seen the individual for years can be very stressful however arguably the most important thing an newly released individual must do is avoid recidivism. Individuals released from prison on a prior felony conviction can be expected to pay hefty fines and be under extreme probation conditions. For example, according to Bobby Constantino, former prosecutor in Roxbury District Court, in Boston, “ In Massachusetts, the average offender sentenced for a crime owes around $1,000 by the time he completes probation. Some of these are court costs, but probation adds to the bill, as the offender has to pay $50 or $65 a month to cover the costs of being supervised. It creates a sense of ‘I’m never going to get out from under this debt”. Fines vary depending on the type of crime committed however, the point is that fines must be paid and probation terms and conditions must be met to avoid violations that will result in