Rehabilitating offenders
Tyrone Cunningham
Friday, June 18, 2010
Nine out of 10 of my friends from various backgrounds and cultures have a criminal record, which is far from beneficial. It's more like a warning siren set off by mere mention of your name.
For a person who has spent time in prison, being released back into society cannot be easy. At first, freedom must sound good, but to be taken from a life of boundaries and restriction to total independence with temptation all around must be difficult. That's why people often re-offend. In fact, more than half of all crimes are committed by ex-offenders.
The best way to prevent re-offending is to keep people occupied. Offenders need assistance; someone to keep them ambitious, motivated and aspiring to be the best they can be.
We need structured programmes to help them rehabilitate into society. Particularly important are one-to-one sessions that explore key strengths and establish what that person wants to achieve in life.
There are other skills that would help ex-offenders integrate, such as self-confidence, decision-making and team work.
However, most important of all is the need to build a better future for each individual.
Do you know a child or young person who could tell adults a thing or two? Email ross.watson@haymarket.com or call him on 020 8267 4703.
