Introduction
According to Travis, Solomon and Waul (1), federal and state prisons release an estimated 600,000 prisoners annually; this transforms to about 1,600 individuals in a day. They find ways of living in harmony with the new community; this is a gradual transition from prison to community life. The transition is not smooth in most cases; the freed prisoners experience difficulties in adjusting. It occurs in terms of; finding employment, adjusting to family life, and society in general (Gaynes, 8). The amount of time spent behind bars leaves most people unprepared for the life outside. If not helped, the prisoners may end up back in prison for other crimes or parole violation. It is crucial to break the cycle of crime.
The government ensures efficient reintegration through policies and strategies. It invests a large portion of its budget in the criminal justice system; part of this goes towards correction. The process of ensuring efficient reintegration into the community relies on reentry. The released persons require supervision; this ensures they exhibit progress in adjustment. The success of the process benefits both the prisoner and public safety. Ensuring individuals adjust well when released depends on the quality of case management within the prison. The case management process continues even after release (NAIARC, 1).
The role of prisons is security, justice and control; they focus on preventing prisoners from escaping and being disruptive. Apart from those roles, justice focuses on ensuring the humane and fair treatment of all prisoners; they should also undergo adequate preparation before return to the community. It is possible through individualized prison management; this occurs through case management.
According to CDC (1), the organization and provision of efficient transition services begins at incarceration. From the moment one enters prison he/she undergoes an evaluation process; this assesses the need for substance abuse treatment, mental health services, healthcare, education, and employment training among others. It forms a foundation for service provision in and after prison (Corey, 18). Case management strategies increase in prisons across the state. It involves the use of social workers and healthcare providers; they coordinate and secure services for inmates. The contribution of community agencies also occur; services come in handy during release.
A case manager complies with various aspects of the Procedural Manual and Operational Policy; this helps in comprehending the guidelines and regulations of various correctional facilities. It is crucial to follow legal processes and provisions in dealing with prisoners and their needs.
He/she works together with the assessors and supervisors in implementation; this helps in the development of individualized service plans. The coordination occurs in commencing and monitoring the prisoners’ progress throughout the program. Since the case manager has more than one assigned offender, he//she must be aware of their unique crimes, needs and abilities; this helps in the selection of appropriate reintegration plans. It reduces chances of repeat in criminal activities and parole violation.
The manager also focuses on the delivery of components of the educational curriculum to prisoners. When incarcerated, the prisoners need an educational process; this helps them in becoming productive members of the society. Appropriate content must be selected for the curriculum; the implementation of the content ensures a positive impact on inmates.
They also prepare relevant documents on a regular basis; these documents help in the monitoring process. Among these is the Continuum of Care Progress Summary; through the help of supervisors, he/she prepares the summary for every prisoner who completes the program successfully. They establish and maintain effective communication with supervisors and other staff; this occurs verbally and in written form. It ensures the transfer of correct information about the prisoners’ needs and program progress.
The case manager must attend training programs in line with the job specifications; the programs organized by prison management and community organization. They occur within and outside the prison facilities; it improves skills and knowledge of managers.
He also participates in the development and implementation of a life span for prisoners; this caters for their progress after prison. He/she also involves the cooperation of family members and the community in helping prisoners adjust. He/she also takes part in the training of other prison staff and community workers.
Steps in Helping Inmates Reintegrate
The development of an efficient model and plan for reintegration is crucial for all correctional facilities; this promotes the transition from prison to community life (Burke & Herman, iii). The Integrated Care Management model below outlines the steps in ensuring prisoner adjustment.
Integrated Care Management
The reintegration of prisoners into the society adopted a new approach; this results from the need for institutional cooperation and provision for prisoners’ needs. The new model is operating in states including; Indiana, Georgia, New York, Michigan, Missouri, Oregon, Rhode Island, and North Dakota. The three steps in the approach focus on improving the efficiency of case management (Burke & Herman, 5).
- Institutional Phase
- Release Phase
Once an individual completes his/her sentence, they rejoin the community. By this time, he has gone through various programs in the correctional facility. Close observation of performance and improvement of prisoners by the officials should occur. A few months before and after the release, various officials monitor progress closely. The prisoner must participate actively in the process; this helps in identifying and coping with the challenges that can arise.
- Community Phase
It is the last stage; it occurs after the offender rejoins and stabilizes within the community. The case manager, probation officers and other officials supervise the individual’s progress; this ensures they do not repeat crimes or commit new ones.
The success of these three stages results in the reunion with family members, acquisition of a stable employment and service to the community. The Integrated Case Management is efficient for a variety of reasons. First and foremost, it integrates the reentry process from the time of admission to prison, release and subsequent supervision. The integration of community safety goals and successful reentry ensures their mutual reinforcement. Integration of the control, custody, and monitoring strategies ensure enhancement. The strategy also combines community and prison efforts; it makes the reentry efficient (Burke & Herman, 6). The implementation achieves success through; the use of validated and empirical-based risk and needs assessment, enhancing prisoner motivation, equipping them with basic training for transition and risk reduction.
Conclusion
Works Cited
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