by Debby Kerr-Henry

Reducing Recidivism

“Over 30,000 Florida prisoners are released annually and reenter our communities. Many wish to become law-abiding citizens and have the best intention of living a conventional life yet have few job skills, lack a formal education, and experience discrimination in housing and job markets because of their felony records.”

“As a result, they become our local statistics—the homeless, the unemployed, the under-educated, the impoverished. Unable to make it in the conventional world, over 76% are rearrested for a new crime within five years which contributes to victimization and drains community resources.”

—Project 180, an organization that seeks to break this cycle.

(Important side note: I have found Florida’s recidivism statistics to vary depending on sources cited and variables being used. You can find an in-depth look at recidivism rates from the Florida Department of Corrections.

Window Pains of Change

Two weeks ago I listened to one of The Unlimited Gavel Club men deliver a speech using windows as an illustration of perspective. “Close your eyes,” he instructed everyone. “What do you see?” The above image came to my mind. I captured this photo in 2007 at the top of the Island of Mayreau in the Caribbean. This simple one-room stone chapel, situated high upon a hill with 360-degree ocean views, with wooden pews and basic stain-glassed windows, infused my soul with its natural beauty. I felt the wholeness of its holiness.

This photo still hangs in my home. And it still takes my breath away.

“What do you see?” Mr. Rains had asked when we closed our eyes.

In that moment, my photo represented the breathtaking holiness of a prison library. Every time I join The Unlimited Gavel Club at Tomoka Correctional Institution, light stirs my soul as it shines through window pains of change: a punitive prison to restorative, broken men to dignified human beings.

I feel safe at Tomoka.

Restoration for the Betterment of All

Incentivized prisons aim for the same goal as Project 180, “to reduce the impact of repeat offenders upon public safety, public spending, Florida families, and individual lives.” 

Incentivized prisons focus on restorative vs. punitive measures. They encourage constructive behavior, hard work, and responsible decision-making, ultimately leading to a more positive and safer environment. As a result, inmates can gain the tools and skills needed for successful reintegration. This reduces the likelihood of repeat offenses (or recidivism), contributing to safer communities for you, for me, for our families. 

Incentivized prisons uphold strict requirements, beginning with four years of no offenses. You can read the extensive criteria here. Additionally, inmates are removed if found guilty of violating rules. I know two inmates who were transported out, one due to substance use and the other from loss of self-control after a panic attack when preparing for a medical checkup. He was a veteran.

The men who reside at Tomoka Correctional Institution did not arrive by accident. They worked hard to qualify for the strict admissions criteria, and they continue to work hard to remain within an incentivized environment. Out of 134 Florida prisons, Tomoka is one of only seven that is incentivized.

Building Community, not Prisons

From my experience, incentivized prisons seek the same goal as Project 180, “to build community, not prisons.” Although not perfect, I continually and consistently witness progress and growth among the men of The Unlimited Gavel Club as they develop communication and leadership skills. This is what draws me back every week—the hope these men instill in me and my fellow volunteers as we see transformation in action. 

These men want to better themselves so they can return to society as productive and law-abiding citizens. They want to contribute to societal solutions, instead of societal problems. This makes a lot of sense to me, that the very ones who committed crimes, might very well be the ones who, if rehabilitated, hold solutions to reducing crime. 

My next post will provide an inside comparison of incentivized prisons vs. non-incentivized.

But for now, please consider this:
The health and wellbeing of incarcerated individuals impact the health and wellbeing of the whole. Caring about rehabilitation of inmates is in the best interests of all.

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If you missed the first stories in this series, “Why do people wind up in prison,” click the links below. A whole-hearted “thank you” to Jonathan for serving as copy editor and Jacob as master typist. 

• “I Didn’t Know How to Ask for Help” by JacobUnlimited
• “Edmund, a story about drinking” by MichaelUnlimited
• “I Should Have Just Been a Kid” by KennethUnlimited
• “It’s Not Hard to Wind Up in Prison” by RobertUnlimited
• “What is Prison?” by BrianUnlimited
• Time to Get Smart about Ignorance by RomanoUnlimited