Change is possible.
Due to the many voices of concerned citizens and the swift decline of our
nation’s economy, the enormous errors in our criminal justice system are
under more scrutiny than ever before.
We are uniting as Americans, through organizations and coalitions, in an
effort to enlist community involvement for rehabilitation of the “accused”,
in lieu of incarceration.
The methodology of our religious groups, our community organizations and
our social service agencies; along with civic groups, corporations and researchers
are varied. There is stronger indication that rehabilitation by way
of community partnerships is a viable alternative to our current method of
punishment. The alarming rate of recidivism is testimony that something
else is needed. The amount of tax dollars required to continue this
“placebo” treatment is phenomenal, and finally getting some attention from
some long overdue resources.
President Bush is advocating the combination of “Drug Courts” with spiritual
counseling, and has committed to increase the available funds for these type
“partnership” programs. Currently, several States have successfully implemented
the coordination of community partnerships that may or may not include spiritual
counseling, but these states offer the statistics that prove the effectiveness
of this approach, as an alternative to prison confinement.
Although the manner and methods of delivery, the elements and areas of concentration,
and available support systems differ greatly, these alternative methods consistently
reveal uniformity in structure and long term goals.
Examples of successful community partnerships include; institution based
readiness programs, institutional and community assessment centers, reentry
courts, supervised or electronically monitored boarding houses, mentoring
programs and community corrections centers.
Elements of these programs include:
1-Inmate preparation: Offering institution-based programs designed
to prepare offenders to reenter society, which involve areas of education,
mental health and substance abuse treatment, job training, mentoring by religious
or civic organizations, full diagnostic and risk assessment.
2-Community based transition programs to begin prior to, and immediately
following inmate release from the correctional institutions. These services
will include appropriate reiteration of the previous phase, adding the monitoring
of progress by appropriate officials.
3-Community-Based Long Term Support Programs, connecting individuals who
have left supervision of the justice system with a network of social services
and community based organizations to provide ongoing services and mentoring
relationships.
There is scientific as well as clinical data indicating that implementation
of behavior modification based programs utilized in correctional communities,
are an integral, effective component in rehabilitation alternatives.
The importance of professional assessments at the onset of sentencing, the
necessary involvement of family, health care professionals and community
organizations, cannot be stressed enough.
Fortunately, at a time in my life when I was destined to become engulfed
by the penal system, I participated in a program that was provided as an
“educational tool” for anyone interested in making the changes that could
possibly keep him or her from “relapsing” or re-offending again.
The program was called, “A Framework for Breaking Barriers.” It was
written by an ex inmate, Gordon Graham, and facilitated by previous offender,
who was working toward a degree in psychology at that time, volunteering
at the “facility” that I was currently housed in and working a full time
job as a mechanic..
That program saved my life. It showed me, without preaching or judging
me, just where I had gone wrong. I learned the reasons for my mistakes,
how taking the responsibility for my actions instead of blaming others would
insure my destruction and how my “old” habits and information had brought
me to my present misery. I was then given the tools to change my thinking,
change my habits, and realize my own accountability. I became a certified
facilitator for the Breaking Barriers program by way of sponsorship through
a wonderful organization that continues to help in rehabilitation areas.
My honest to God belief in this program and my never ending passion to deliver
it, brought about changes in the rehab community that were so profound,
that I was being endorsed by corrections officials, 12 step groups
and even therapists. I volunteered anywhere and at anytime I was invited.
I taught at rehab centers and, even on probation, at the local jails and
half way houses. When I started college, as was expected, I had
to stop my volunteer efforts and concentrate on full time studies, full time
jobs and full time single Motherhood. I lost touch with the program
and my associations with “Breaking Barriers”. Since my re-marriage,
4 years ago re locating to South Carolina, I was fortunate enough to have
time to volunteer again. After many hours with the soup kitchens, meals
on wheels and other charities, I realized that my heart just was not in it
like it used to be. I realized that I needed to be back in the
jails, prisons and rehabs. I needed to be giving back the tools that
were so generously given to me. I needed to help those that were stuck
in the places that I was once stuck in, in order to feel useful.
I tried to find the Breaking Barriers program locally and failed. No
one had heard of it, but everyone was interested in finding out more about
it. I attempted to contact Gordon Graham & Co. at the address
and phone numbers I had kept for 10 or so years and failed.
Late one night my phone rang and it was a woman identifying herself as the
Mother of my 18 yr. Old son’s girlfriend in Wisconsin. He had finally
been arrested and was in the county jail up there. I was relieved.
Finally, he may re-consider his life, his addiction and actually take advantage
his opportunities. In an effort to find help for my son through the program
that I knew could make a difference in his life, I called the jail.
Not only was I promised that the program would be offered to him, I was given
the contact information that I had sought after for so long. I discovered
that Mr. Graham and Co. had developed several other programs. One of
them focuses on the re-entry phase of incarceration, and the difficulties
in finding employment, maintaining healthy relationships, understanding the
outside world and coping with the many challenges that will affect a person
upon release.
As in “Breaking Barriers”, the curriculum of this “New Realities” program
is based on the belief that there is a body of knowledge found in cognitive
psychology which, when effectively taught, allows people to break an inhibiting
cycle of conditioning, and become happier, more fulfilled human beings.
It takes into account the fact that many people instinctively reject the
idea that they may be basing their life decisions on incomplete or inaccurate
information about themselves.
In a systematic process, with the facilitated workshops, Gordon skillfully
guides participants toward an understanding and acceptance of four educational
values,
1-That change is possible.
2- That current reality is the result of beliefs, habits and attitudes that
we have adopted in the past.
3-That our future is determined by beliefs, habits and attitudes that we
adopt today.
4- That it is possible to choose our beliefs, habits and attitudes in order
to reach our goals and visions.
My son is now awaiting sentencing, but he is equipped with the tools given
him, by the same person, at the same institution where I found my own tools.
Whether he uses them or not, is up to him. Only time will tell.
I have now made a commitment to introduce this program and others like it;
that have been so very successful in the corrections/addictions/domestic
violence and reform communities.
I have asked for, and been granted permission for the allocation, training
and distribution of these cognitive learning programs by Gordon Graham, and
am currently working with many non-profits, church ministries along with
re-entry program personnel in probation, parole and Department of Corrections
officials. I will soon be moving from Greenville, S.C. to Columbia,
S.C. It was and still is my intention to become involved with one or more
of the “community partnership” programs, and eventually volunteer my time,
and experience by teaching many of these programs, instead of explaining
them. I want to be “out there”, in the trenches, in the jails, the
rehab centers and shelters. That is where my heart is. I need people
who are interested in helping me get the program information out there, people
who honestly want to make a difference.
Anyone that is interested, please send me an email. I need people with
the heart, especially those that are in recovery, or with personal background
and experiences in the areas of addiction, abuse, incarceration and rehabilitation.
ANYONE that has suffered through the consequences of irrational or uninformed
decision-making, and has made it to the other side. We need to show
others how to find their own directions. I am one small voice that,
although quite loud and persuasive, very limited when it comes to helping
EVERYBODY, try as I might; it remains a tremendous task, all by myself.
© Copyright 2003 Annette Stepp
Thank you, Annette Stepp email; astepp@assocsys.com
Annette's Web Site
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