Life After Incarceration Criminal Justice System Top 3

Life After Incarceration Criminal Justice System Top 3 Ways to Fight Recidivism Soft & Hard Skills People Who Made It Your Plan

Frank L. Greenagel Jr. MPAP, MSW, LCADC ACSW, CJC, ICADC Director of Community Affairs – College Recovery NJ Governor’s Council on Drug Abuse & Alcoholism Adjunct Professor – Rutgers School of Social Work Instructor – Rutgers Center of Alcohol Studies 1 st LT – PA Army National Guard flg 2@aol. com www. greenagel. com

The Criminal Justice System • Food, toilet, bed, light, fear, time, joy & pain of visits, and being told what to do. • 2, 266, 800 adults in jail or prison in 2011 • . 7% of the US population • 4, 814, 200 adults on probation or parole • 6, 977, 700 in criminal justice system • 53% of arrested males and 39% of arrested females are re-incarcerated (’ 03) • 50 - 75% of people in prison or jail have a substance abuse history

Question What are the top 3 ways to fight recidivism?

3 Top Ways to Fight Recidivism • #1 • #2 • #3 JOB Sobriety Education

Soft Skills #1 Promptness - show up on time

Soft Skills #2 Hygiene & Grooming

Soft Skills #3 Manners

Soft Skills Review (1)Promptness (2)Hygiene/Grooming (3)Manners

Hard Skills #1 Reading - Follow directions - Understand memos - Analyze reports

Hard Skills #2 Writing - Very few people can write - Take extra writing classes - It will separate - you from everyone else

Hard Skills #3 Math

Hard Skills #4 Ability to Use Technology

Hard Skills Review (1) Reading (2) Writing (3) Math (4) Ability to use technology

Bare Minimum • • Transportation Long time since last arrest HS Diploma Professionalism (don’t bring chaos to work)

A Paragon of Success • • • BA & other degress Good credit score Clean driving record Specialized Skills Other experiences • Work abroad • Travel • Different Experiences

Reasons to go to Therapy • • Concerns about future Romantic Relationships Sexual Identity Grief/Loss Academic Stress Work Stress Interpersonal Stress Substance Abuse

The First Day of Freedom • Don’t drink. Don’t smoke. Don’t snort. Don’t take pills. Don’t shoot. • Avoid people, places and things. Seriously. • Go out for a nice lunch or dinner. • Plan an out-of-state trip. • Continue with some kind of therapy

Questions I Ask People in Jail • • Name Hometown What do you do for fun? Substance problem? Drug of choice? Charge First time in jail or repeat offender Who’s fault? What will be different?

The First Month of Freedom • So much depends upon the first day, week and month. • Are you changing addresses? • What will you do for work and/or school? • Are you cutting off old friends, or will you roll the dice?

Adjusting to Life After Incarceration • • Completing drug court How to avoid old friends How to avoid old trouble Not trying to make up for lost time Telling people about your past How to handle money How to get into a healthy romantic relationship

People Who Made It • • • Harold Hughes Charles S. Dutton Ben Chin Regina Diamond Robert Downey Jr. & Iron Man

Your Plan • • 1 st day out of jail or prison Avoid people, places and things Meaningful job and/or education Continued non-use – Suggested follow-thru with 12 -step meetings • • • Exercise Therapy Learn how to handle money Hobbies Travel Help others

What a professional helper can do • Connect with services – Housing – Employment – Counseling – Education/Training – Social Supports • This is one of the great market inefficiencies

Where will you go?