Prison Prerelease Facilities In Texas: What Effect Do These Programs Have On Offender Success?

Abstract

There is sufficient evidence to suggest that inmates who participate in prerelease programs are less likely to recidivate once released from prison than those who do not participate in these programs. Research shows that the impact of education, employment skills, and life skills while incarcerated helps contribute to an offender making positive choices that will prevent them from committing new crimes. Furthermore, researchers posit that these offenders have more opportunities for success then offenders who are released with no added programs. The major hypothesis for this study is that inmates in Texas who are released from a prerelease program have a greater chance for success once released than inmates who do not participate in theses programs. Interviews will be conducted with ex-offenders in three parole offices in Fort Worth, Texas.Interviews will be conducted with inmates who did attend these prerelease facility and those who did not in an attempt to determine what effect these programs may have on ex-offenders. In addition, literature suggests that inmates who keep social ties with the community and with their families are less likely to reoffend or return to prison than those who cut all ties. The Texas Department of Criminal Justice clearly states in its guidelines that efforts are not made to incarcerate inmates close to their families due to the size of the state. Interview questions will be constructed in order to determine if this has an impact on parolees after they are released from prison.