Corrections_Today_September_October_2023_Vol.85_No.5

■ RECIDIVISM

Prison system requires a robust strategic plan encompass ing resource allocation and a staunch commitment to rehabilitation and public safety. While the implementation process demands considerable time and funding, the long term outcomes must be emphasized to warrant the initial investment. A new era of corrections In conclusion, the perils of recidivism serve as a stark reminder of the inherent deficiencies in the punitive ap proach to corrections. The Wyoming State Penitentiary illustrates this concern through its disproportionately high recidivism rates. However, the future need not be as bleak as the present. By integrating an evidence-based recidi vism reduction program, the state can usher in a new era of corrections that serves to deter criminal behavior and aims to rehabilitate and reintegrate offenders into society. This shift from punishment to rehabilitation would neces sitate a significant allocation of resources and a steadfast commitment to change. Still, the potential rewards — a safer Wyoming, better utilization of resources, and en hanced public safety — justify this endeavor. Furthermore, it would represent a progressive step towards a more humane, effective, and sustainable correctional system. Such an achievement would set a formidable precedent for other states to follow, potentially initiating a nationwide transformation in the approach to corrections. Thus, the challenge is undeniably substantial, but the outcomes offer a promising future for Wyoming’s correctional system and society. Failure of Mass Incarceration in America . New York University Press. 2 Mears, D. P., & Cochran, J. C. (2015). Prisoner Reentry in the Era of Mass Incarceration . Sage Publications. 3 Clear, T. R., & Frost, N. A. (2013). The Punishment Imperative: The Rise and Failure of Mass Incarceration in America . New York University Press. 4 National Research Council. (2014). The Growth of Incarceration in the United States: Exploring Causes and Consequences . National Academies Press. 5 National Research Council. (2014). The Growth of Incarceration in the United States: Exploring Causes and Consequences . National Academies Press. 6 Alexander, M. (2010). The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness . The New Press. ENDNOTES 1 Clear, T. R., & Frost, N. A. (2013). The Punishment Imperative: The Rise and

7 Reiman, J., & Leighton, P. (2020). The Rich Get Richer, and the Poor Get Prison: Ideology, Class, and Criminal Justice . Routledge. 8 Sampson, R. J., & Bartusch, D. J. (1998). Legal Cynicism and (Subcultural?) Tolerance of Deviance: The Neighborhood Context of Racial Differences. Law & Society Review , 32 (4), 777-804. 9 Glick, B., & Prince, R. (2016). Implementing Successful Cognitive Behavioral Interventions: Program Administration and Management, Staff Development, Application to Diverse Populations . Civic Research Institute. 10 National Research Council. (2014). The Growth of Incarceration in the United States: Exploring Causes and Consequences . National Academies Press. 11 Petersilia, J. (2003). When Prisoners Come Home: Parole and Prisoner Reentry . Oxford University Press. 12 Petersilia, J. (2003). When Prisoners Come Home: Parole and Prisoner Reentry . Oxford University Press. 13 Andrews, D. A., & Bonta, J. (1994). The Psychology of Criminal Conduct . Anderson Publishing. 14 Bonta, J., & Andrews, D. A. (2007). Risk-Need-Responsivity Model for Offender Assessment and Rehabilitation. Rehabilitation , 6 , 1-22. 15 Cullen, F. T., & Jonson, C. L. (2011). Rehabilitation and Treatment Programs. Crime and Justice , 40 (1), 293-376. 16 Latessa, E. J., Listwan, S. J., & Koetzle, D. (2014). What Works (and Does not) in Reducing Recidivism . Elsevier. 17 Lipsey, M. W., & Cullen, F. T. (2007). The Effectiveness of Correctional Rehabilitation: A Review of Systematic Reviews. Annual Review of Law and Social Science , 3 , 297-320. 18 Latessa, E. J., & Lowenkamp, C. T. (2006). What Works in Reducing Recidivism . University of St. Thomas Law Journal , 3 (3), 521-535. 19 Andrews, D. A., & Dowden, C. (2006). Risk Principle of Case Classification in Correctional Treatment: A Meta-Analytic Investigation . International Journal of Offender Therapy and Comparative Criminology , 50 (1), 88-100. 20 Glick, B., & Prince, R. (2016). Implementing Successful Cognitive Behavioral Interventions: Program Administration and Management, Staff Development, Application to Diverse Populations . Civic Research Institute. 21 Andrews, D. A., & Dowden, C. (2006). Risk Principle of Case Classification in Correctional Treatment: A Meta-Analytic Investigation . International Journal of Offender Therapy and Comparative Criminology , 50 (1), 88-100. 22 National Institute of Justice. (2016). Implementing Evidence-Based Practices . https://www.nij.gov/topics/corrections/reentry/pages/welcome.aspx 23 Mears, D. P., & Cochran, J. C. (2015). Prisoner Reentry in the Era of Mass Incarceration . Sage Publications.

Robert Chapa is a Doctoral Student at Saint Leo University in New Port Richey, FL.

56 — September/October 2023 Corrections Today