Tuesday, July 14, 2015

If You Don't Want Recidivism, Give the Ex-Con a Job

   If you wanted to reform your criminals, you'd not put them at risk. If you wanted them to stay away from crime, you'd make it as easy as you could for them to stay away from crime.
  You'd give them jobs.
   I wish America would reform its criminal care system. There are so many things that could be done. We lament recidivism, yet we don't take a host of steps that could reduce it.
   Placing the ex-convicts in jobs is one of them. Of all the people out looking for jobs, the ex-con should perhaps be the person we most want to be employed. Many were in prison for crimes they committed while trying to make money. When they get out, if they don't get a good job, they are, of course, tempted to fall back on the ways of earning money that they are familiar with.
   If you don't give them a way to change, they won't change. If you don't give them a way out of their lifestyle, they will remain in it.
   So, what is the solution? Perhaps each ex-con should be assigned to a counselor at the job service office, someone who places them in a job. If that works, that is enough. But, if jobs are not being found for all the ex-cons, then we should create jobs for them. The need to provide employment is urgent enough that, if necessary, government should create the jobs. Let the job placement officers do all they can to get the person in a private sector job. But, if that fails, there must be a safety net.
    A lot of what can be done needs to take place while the prisoner is in prison. Currently, we provide educational opportunities for the prisoners. That should continue. But, we should not stop there. The education should include a lot of vocational training. The prisoner should be trained for specific jobs. And, whenever possible, the person should be trained for self-employment, as a person who has self-employment skills does not need to depend on whether someone will give him a job.
 



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