I just came back from half a day at the Wichita Parole Center learning the new ways to track felons on the computer and obtain information on them for use in preparing their parole plans. It is quite a complex procedure that can be of help to them if applied conscientiously and with an understanding of the complexities of their lifestyles. Unless you have worked in this environment it is difficult to realize how different they and their thought processes are. Cognitive change is the magic mantra this year and we are avidly pursuing it in the hope that it will be the magic bullet to reduce recidivism. So many silver bullets fired - so many werewolves remain among us.
Had a little success with an attempt to get city hall to move on a problem that I, and some neighbors, had. Nothing major but it gave me a glimmer of hope that if I apply myself and get off of my butt instead of fussing to myself and spouse, I can make a small dent in things in this small town. I am currently happy with my aluminum bullets - a long way from silver, but better than nothing.
2 comments:
Well? Is it all working out? Maybe if they started all this before the person gets to prison, we would actually have room for violent and sex offenders walking around with a little slap on the wrist, instead of a million drug offenders sitting in a cell all day.
Good point. I've been a bit cynical concerning Corrections the last few years. Used to be they called it penitentiary. coming from the root word penitent. I guess society had a more "religious" mindset in those days. where the offender was to be hopefully repentant for their wrongs. Now...it's "corrections". Politically correct name, yet, the result is basically the same. People are not repentant or corrected when they exit the system. Most are worse, as is proven by the recidivism rate.
I think the Inner Change had a good idea. God is their only hope. God is our only hope.
Seriously, how many prisons can we build? People wasting away inside. There has to be a better way.
I applaud you for trying to help.
Post a Comment