Corrections_Today_July_August_2019_Vol.84_No.4

nEWS & vIEWS

man discover skills and abilities that are already within him, which he can now draw upon to start making healthy choices in order to control his situation and define his future. Rehabilitation For a rehabilitation program to be successful, it must address and incorporate the principles discussed above. This will require pushing participants to fully engage with their emotions and past trauma, learn to think differently and change their future patterns of choice. LiveUp Resources, a division of Pennsylvania Counseling Services, has developed specific materials to assist in teaching these concepts to both men and women. Its primary resources, “The Heroic Man’s Jour- ney” for men and “Living Better” for women, first and foremost provide a study of identity for the individual. 4,5 God said to Jeremiah, “I have put my words in your mouth,” showing that identity formation is God’s purpose for each person’s life. 6 With a goal of moral rehabilitation, materials from LiveUp Resources guide men and women in the development of their physical, emotional, mental and spiritual well-being. The aim of “The Heroic Man’s Journey” is to teach manhood ac- cording to God’s design and, in doing so, bring about genuine and lasting life transformation. Begin- ning with its first lesson, the program sets forth a standard of honor by defining manhood as living up to one’s nobility and value. Lessons guide participants to understand the various causal factors that influence their choices. Because the program is intentional about using common,

understandable language, males at any stage in life and with vary- ing degrees of education are able to comprehend essential concepts such as emotional IQ, goal setting, cognitive distortions and relationship skills. The power and importance of relationships are emphasized and fostered through creating a discussion-based environment that encourages participants to practice new skills and develop supportive interpersonal connections. Establishing a set of guiding principles provides a powerful making and gives a man the power to exhibit self- control instead of victimhood. Recidivism rates in the United States remain staggeringly high. 7 While there are many factors that play into this problem, a primary cause is a lack of understanding of the various causal factors that inhibit an individual from making responsible choices. As a result, they follow the same behavioral tendencies that initially led to those foundation for future decision

negative consequences. Those work- ing or serving in the criminal justice field can open up opportunities for life-changing interactions by helping inmates recognize the true source of their choices and the transforming power of a relationship with God. Rehabilitation programs such as “The Heroic Man’s Journey” that challenge old patterns will provide empowerment for creating a new identity through which an individual can take responsibility for his decision making. Only when men learn to improve their decision making will they finally begin to choose what is good for themselves, for others and for the world around them. 2 Beckett, Katherine, Lindsey Beach, Emily Knaphus and Anna Reosti. 2018. “US Criminal Justice Policy and Practice in the Twenty-First Century: Toward the End of Mass Incarceration?” Law & Policy, 40(4): 321-345. 3 Popenoe, David. 1996. Life without Father: Compelling New Evidence that Fatherhood and Marriage are Indispensable for the Good of Children and Society. New York, N.Y.: Free Press. 4 The Heroic Man’s Journey DVD series is available at www.k21.men/HMJ-dvd. 5 Living Better DVD series is available at www.realwomen21.com/LB-dvd. 6 Jeremiah 1:9. 7 Prell, Lettie, Michael J. Vitacco and Denis Zavodny. 2016. “Predicting Violence and Recidivism in a Large Sample of Males on Probation or Parole.” International Journal of Law and Psychiatry, 49(A): 107-113. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/ pii/S016025271630190X?via%3Dihub. Roy Smith, Ph.D., MDiv is the CEO of Pennsylvania Counseling Services, Inc. and the author/founder of LiveUp Resources. References 1 Genesis 3.

10 — July/August 2019 Corrections Today