1. Introduction 

The term recidivism outlines an individual’s behaviour (mostly criminal) to perform or commit the same act or mistake again, of which he was convicted once or more than once. The simple term for recidivism can be ‘relapse into criminal behaviour’ (National Institute of Justice, 2020). This paper discusses treatment programs & outcome of the same.

2. Discussion: 

Correlation programs are assigned by Department of Correctional Services (DCS) to help the patients by organizing training, lectures and short live stage shows to encourage them for safe life ahead (Tarvydas & Hartley, 2017 ).

The treatment program: One program, which was an initiative by DCS, was the Risk-Need-Responsivity Model (RNR) (Kingston). This model focuses on patient and try interventions in support of a better future. The Rehabilitative Programmes and Services planned under RNR targets on a few aspects to help the patients, and they are as follows:

1. i) Criminogenic programmes (thinking pattern)– designed to change thinking pattern in positives ways always so that the same crime is not committed again and encourages behavioural changes. Group discussions are held to uplift the good deeds once done by all victims and praising them for those as well as making them realize that they are good and can perform likewise.
   1. ii) Education– Recidivism has direct contact with the person being literate or not. Most found guilty person is illiterate. DCS arranges schools, online classes or NGOs for their studies to progress. Literacy will make them feel more responsible citizen and will help them get ways to earn in their life. Right situations never lead to recidivism.
   1. iii) Religion–  religion and religious activity were found to be helpful. Helping patients with providing religious books, religious activities, and devotional practices made them understand that crimes done are sins under religion, and this has helped them go through betterment under imprisonment and even later.
   1. iv) Pre-release programs– incarcerated person faces a problem in starting social life usually. This program helps by staying in touch with patients after relieving from prisons. The programs ensure that family, friends help the patient remain connected to helping centres. The program also uprises the internal strength of the patient by providing education, employment, channels, housing and transportation so that the patient does not relapse. The program helps in entrepreneurship, apprenticeship etc.
   1. v) Substances abuse therapy– substances here means drug and alcohol abuses. Abuse of these is directly related to recidivism. Few programs are designed to help the patient from substance abuse; they are:
2. Harm reduction programmes-describes risks of overdose, diseases, etc.
3. Therapeutic programmes-designed to cope up with cravings.
4. Psycho-educational programmes-improves awareness and understandings.
5. Prison-based therapeutic communities-helps by removing the patient from prisons and putting them in therapeutic environments.
   1. vi) Sex offender therapy– this is assigned for patients who have illegal sexual activities with either child or non-consenting individual. Group sessions are carried that helps to bring concept between offensive with healthy sexual activity. Therapy helps with anger control and growing good behaviour. High-intensity criminals receive 8 hours of therapy weekly for 2–3 years whereas low intensities with two hours for six months.

3. Conclusion: 

It can be concluded from this paper that recidivism is something that can be changed for the betterment of the individual along with society. Government has taken initiatives nowadays to help people from recidivism. If the programs as mentioned earlier are followed, and patients are helped accordingly, then there will be a reduction in recidivism (Hernandez,2019).

4. Work cited:

Hernandez, S. (2019). Implementing educational courses on social media within prisons to decrease unemployment rates among ex-prisoners and reduce recidivism in the United States.

Kingston, J. A NATIONAL REHABILITATION STRATEGY.

National Institute of Justice. (2020). Recidivism. National Institute of Justice. Retrieved 2 July 2020, from https://nij.ojp.gov/topics/corrections/recidivism.

Tarvydas, V. M., & Hartley, M. T. (Eds.). (2017). The professional practice of rehabilitation counseling. Springer Publishing Company.