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| Ripple effect |
| By Ann Coppola, News Reporter |
| Published: 10/20/2008 |
Guilt is supposed to be a useful tool. Crimes are committed, juries weigh evidence, and guilt, like a formula, is calculated out according to the law. But outside of courtrooms and verdicts, guilt is just a damaging emotion that ironically, might be the reason why an individual finds himself in prison for a second time.“Nothing drives released offenders back to prison faster than having guilt, versus being whole,” says Teresa Foley, transitional services coordinator for the Rhode Island Department of Corrections (RIDOC). “When [offenders] deal with the impact of their crimes on an emotional level, it has a positive effect on their families and children, which also reduces recidivism.” For RIDOC, one particularly successful initiative on this front has been its victim impact classes. The department’s program is based on a national curriculum developed by the Department of Justice Office for Victims of Crime. The classes address how families and the community are impacted by different types of offenses, including robbery, homicide, gang violence, domestic violence, assault, crimes against the elderly, and child maltreatment. “We must do victim-related work if we want [offenders] to transition successfully,” Foley adds. “It’s about restorative justice.” RIDOC is offering the classes at its minimum and maximum men’s and women’s prisons. Each class meets once a week for eight weeks. The sessions incorporate video vignettes, written exercises, and group discussion. “We’re teaching them about the consequences of crime, but it really goes beyond that,” says Susan Erstling of Family Service of Rhode Island , the non-profit agency that’s providing social workers to lead the classes. “We’re really trying to educate them about the impact on victims’ families, how it physically damages them and the lifelong ripple effects committing a crime generates.” During a class, inmates can be asked to reflect on times they might have been victims of crime. Some share the behavior they engaged in that contributed to the crime they committed. The classes have the unique goal to educate inmates about the long term effects of their actions. “Crime creates damaging effects in the community in both the short term and long term,” Erstling explains. “Offenders aren’t often stopped and asked to think about what those long term consequences are. The ultimate goal is for the offender to take accountability for their behavior.” There are currently waiting lists for the classes. “I used to fake my way through programs,” admits Holly, a participant in the class at the women’s prison. “I wouldn’t apply anything to my life. My attitude would be, ‘Just let me get through this so I could say I did it.’ I’m finally seeing the ripple effect of my behaviors.” That ripple effect is something Erstling sees every day working for an agency that specializes in servicing society’s youngest victims of crime. “We’re always working with kids exposed to violence, especially domestic violence,” Erstling explains, “and they have a much higher chance of going from being victims of crime to perpetrators of crime. We’re very aware of that continuum, and educating parents or adults about the impact on children will hopefully deter future crime.” RIDOC does not yet have statistics on recidivism rates for inmates who participate in the classes. Erstling is hoping to replicate a study conducted by a University of New Haven professor that examined offenders’ sensitivity to victims. The study indicated that black adult male inmates who participated in victim awareness treatment groups exhibited significantly fewer of the most serious disciplinary problems compared to inmates who did not participate. “We’re looking to replicate his study and look at the inmates before and after their participation in the program,” Erstling says. “It’s really exciting that we’re going to be building evidence-based work.” Family Service also recently received a grant to do reentry work with women coming out of prison. A majority of the non-profit’s clients are Providence ex-offenders. The classes are a promising example of a successful and growing partnership between corrections and non-corrections agencies. Related Resources: More on the victim impact research |
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