PERCEPTIONS OF HISPANIC OFFENDERS TOWARD REENTRY PROGRAMS

Marisa Moggio

Southeast Missouri State University

INTRODUCTION

The Bureau of Justice Statistics reported in December 2007 that there are 2,293,157 prisoners being held in federal or state prisons or local jails.

The proportion of offenders returning to federal prison within 3 years increase from11.4% in 1986 to 18.6% in 1994 (Bureau of Justice Statistics)

BJS reported in 2007 of the 2,293,157 prisoners: 3,138 Black male prisoners per 100,000 Black males 1,259 Hispanic male prisoners per 100,000 Hispanic

males 481 White males prisoners per 100,000 White males

HISTORY OF REENTRY

During 1800s, prisoners served a determinate amount of time in very crowded prisons.

In the 1900s, inmates began serving indeterminate sentences which began to focus on the rehabilitation of the inmates.

Parole board began to emerge in many states. Indeterminate sentencing and parole boards

collapsed in the late 1970’s, early 1980s (Petersilia, 2003).

During 1980s and 1990s, “get tough” policies were implemented along with mandatory sentencing and truth-in-sentencing laws.

REENTRY PROGRAMS

Petersilia (2003) defined reentry programs as “all activities and programming conducted to prepare ex-convicts to return safely to the community and live as law abiding citizens” (p.3).

Travis et al. (2001) defined reentry as a process with programs and activities that aid the prisoner in the reentry process.

Seiter & Kadela (2003) explained reentry programs specifically focus on the transition from prison to community and/or initiate treatment in a prison setting and link with a community programs to provide continuity of care.

IN- PRISON REENTRY PROGRAMS

Some reentry programs are offered inside prison.

According to Austin (2001), “While incarcerated, inmates can participate in limited number of programs that are designed to assist them in enhancing their ability to succeed upon release” (p.323).

However the participation rate of reentry programs inside prison are declining.

Lack of inmate participation is linked to small, unorganized and ill suited in-prison programs.

POST-RELEASE REENTRY PROGRAMS

Petersilia (2004) indicated the ultimate goal of reentry programs is reintegration, which clearly includes more than remaining arrest-free for a specified period time.

Effective reentry programs address education and employment issues along with substance abuse treatment.

Listwan, Cullen & Latessa (2006) emphasized that reentry programs cannot focus solely on educating offenders, but rather reentry programs should help offenders understand the consequences of their behavior and help them develop alternatives.

REENTRY PROGRAMS

Researchers argued correctional programs should focus their attention on high risk offenders.

Serious Violent Offender Reentry Initiatives (SVORI) Bouffard & Bergeron (2006) concluded the reentry

program successfully reached the targeted population and increased community relations between the offenders and society.

Reentry Courts Basile (2002) proposed implementing reentry courts

that closely monitor the offender’s progress and also meeting the need for public safety while providing needed services to the offender.

DEMOGRAPHICS

An estimated 600,000 inmates are returning to communities around the United States (Lynch & Sabol, 2001; Petersilia, 2003; Travis et. al, 2001).

The majority of ex-prisoners are mostly male, minority, and unskilled (Petersilia, 2003).

Race is a critical dimension when discussing reentry.

Petersilia (2003) indicated, “About one-third of parole entrants are white, 47 percent are black and 16 percent are Hispanic, hence about two-thirds of all returning prisoners are racial or ethnic minorities” (p. 26).

HISPANICS

According to the Census Bureau website, in 2006, the Hispanic population grew to around 44,321,038 which constitute 15% of the total population.

According the Bureau of Prison website, they incarcerate 200,148 inmates and of those 31.2% are Hispanic. 17% Mexican, 1.6% Dominican Republic, and

1.5% Columbian. Petersilia (2003) stated, “In terms of inmates

in prison, Hispanics represent the fastest growing minority group” (p. 26).

PROBLEMS INMATES FACE WITH REENTRY

Substance Abuse Durose & Mumola (2006) surveyed prisoners

about their substance abuse issues and reported 66% indicated they had been using drugs during the month prior to their offense and 25% stated they were dependent on alcohol prior to entering prison.

Petersilia (2003) explained, “We do know that the vast majority of prison inmates with substance abuse problems do not receive treatment in prison” (p. 47).

Without proper substance abuse treatment inside prison, returning offenders have trouble resisting temptation or kicking their habit.

Physical and Mental Illness Petersilia (2003) emphasized, “By any indicator,

prison inmates and releasees are less healthy—both physically and mentally—than the population at large” (p. 34).

Hammett (2001) reported, “nearly one quarter of all people living with HIV or AIDS, one third living with Hepatitis C, and one third with TB in the United States in 1997 were released from a correctional facility that year (p. 302).

Petersilia (2002) explained, “Even when public mental services are available, many mentally ill individuals fail to use them because they fear institutionalization, deny they are mentally ill, or distrust the mental health system” (p. 369).

Education Visher et al. (2003) reported that the highest

level of education the majority of respondents had prior to entering prison was 10th and 11th grade.

Vacca (2004) emphasized that educational programs need to teach inmates to read effectively, but also provide reinforcement that helps promote successful transition back into society.

Bedard, Eschholz & Gertz (1994) indicated the importance of having correctional education respond to the needs of different ethnic groups.

Employment Travis et al. (2001) stated, “Studies have shown

that having a job with decent wages is associated with lower rates of offending” (p. 31).

Petersilia (2001) suggested that incarceration is stigmatizing and that there is reluctance among employers to hire ex-offenders.

Along with employers not wanting to hire ex-offenders out of fear, is the fact that they are legally banned from working in certain fields.

Visher et al. (2003) conducted a study of inmates preparing for reentry and reported only 30% of respondents currently had a job in prison.

Family Connections Reintegration can be a stressful time and many

offenders will turn to their family for support. Visher & Travis (2003) indicated, “Strong ties

between prisoners and their families or close friends appear to have a positive impact on post release success” (p. 99).

La Bodega de la Familia (the family grocery) According to Shapiro & Schwartz (2001), La Bodega de

la Familia has been testing the proposition that strengthening families of substance abusers under supervision can improve success of treatment.

La Bodega de la Familia targets each family’s strengths which can be brought to the surface to assist in offender’s reentry.

MY PLAN

The purpose of this case study is to explore the perceptions of Hispanic inmates and correctional personnel regarding reentry programs inside the prison.

The research questions that will guide this study are: 1. What are the perceptions of Hispanic

offenders regarding reentry programs? 2. What are the perceptions of the correctional

personnel regarding the impact of reentry programs on Hispanic inmates?

METHOD

This study will utilize a case study approach.

A case study is a “strategy of inquiry in which the researcher explores in depth a program, event, activity, process, or one or more individuals” (Creswell, 2009, p. 13).

POPULATION AND SAMPLE

Non-probability sampling The sample will be obtained from one of the

Bureau of Prisons (BOP) facilities. For this study a Federal Correctional Institution

(FCI) that is located in the Midwest has been chosen.

It houses approximately 1,278 male offenders. The participants will be selected from Hispanic

inmates participating in reentry programming inside the prison

The second sample will be selected from correctional personnel who teach reentry programs.

DATA COLLECTION AND INSTRUMENTATION

The data will be collected by the researcher. The qualitative data will be obtained through

semi-structured, open-ended, face-to-face interviews with Hispanic inmates and correctional personnel at the FCI.

An interview schedule has been developed from the emergent themes of the literature review.

The interviews will be conducted in English or Spanish, which ever the participant prefers.

The interview will be tape recorded and transcribed verbatim

DATA ANALYSIS

A copy of the research proposal will be forwarded to the Human Subject Committee.

Upon the approval of the committee, the interview will be conducted.

The tape recordings will be transcribed verbatim and the researcher will identify emergent themes from the transcriptions.

In order to organize and access emergent themes from the transcriptions, the findings will be imported in a Microsoft Excel spreadsheet.