Gaskin: We must prepare inmates to thrive on the outside

“Today’s prisons are an unacceptable substitute for true rehabilitation and restoration. Few enter and leave restored and ready to reintegrate. Victims are not served by the current model. Correctional officers are not served by it. Overlay the normalization of structural racism, and the results are not only counterproductive, but also unfair and unjust for communities of color across the Commonwealth. We need to build a better way. One that truly aligns to our Corrections mission to rehabilitate and prepare people for healthy reentry into communities. One that safely and transparently equips and honors the first responders who serve to carry out that mission.” – Rep. Nika Elugardo, former State Representative of 15th Suffolk, co-chair of a study on racism and incarceration.

When I read that and The Department of Corrections Per Capita Cost Report, Fiscal Year 2023, I had to wonder what the taxpayers were getting for their money when the low-end cost was around $80,000 per year and the high end was over $100,000.

Many reentry processes within Massachusetts are the same today as they were years ago. Evaluations of reentry programs, accumulated over time, show that effective programs involve a comprehensive approach with multiple services tailored to individual situations and context.  A careful review of each step of the reentry process in the Massachusetts criminal justice system seems warranted. Such an assessment would highlight opportunities for improvement. As a part of a comprehensive review, some mechanisms for accountability should be considered.  Addressing racism in corrections should be a deliberate focus of attention in developing and adopting mechanisms of accountability.

Possible avenues to increase accountability in reentry include:

Link prison operations to successful reentry.  Program development should be informed by evidence and research identifying factors that contribute to successful reentry and reduced recidivism. Prison facilities and programs should be assessed regularly on the recidivism rate of their returning citizens to shift the culture toward rehabilitation rather than punishment.

Ensure the quality of service by private reentry providers. Offer training for programs to help them use evidence-informed approaches, identify and assess outcomes, adhere to performance standards, and build capacity to evaluate and monitor their own programs. Prioritize and formalize partnerships with providers that have demonstrated success (or show a willingness to demonstrate success) with returning citizens.

Conduct monitoring and evaluations of reentry programs. Both state-administered and privately run programs could track the implementation of reentry programming and utilization and completion rates of participants. More outcome evaluations, however, should also include comparisons and long-term follow-up to determine whether programs ultimately help to reduce recidivism.  Results can help to direct the allocation of both funding and volunteer resources.

Create an external civilian review process. Participation by those outside the system, perhaps by trained volunteers, increases transparency into a largely hidden environment.  A civilian review board could directly learn about the concerns and needs of prisoners. The civilian review board that works with the Boston police could serve as a model.

Make recidivism statistics readily available to the public, disaggregated by race and other demographic indicators.  To increase transparency, statistics about disciplinary actions (such as the use of restrictive housing), parole or release decisions, and other internal processes could also be provided.

Extend the type and length of post-release services. Inmates often leave with little more than the clothes they’re wearing and must play a real-life game of “Survivor,” needing food, clothing shelter, and healthcare. We need to provide more transitional help to increase the probability of success.

There must be some focus on continuous improvement. This would require performance against metrics so that our correctional system comes closer to achieving its mission cost-effectively.

Ed Gaskin is Executive Director of Greater Grove Hall Main Streets and founder of Sunday Celebrations.