Prison Boot Camp Programs and Recidivism

            Essentially, prison boot camp programs are intensive incarceration programs that are similar to basic military training and focus on adult convicted offenders. Georgia and Oklahoma correctional facilities were the first systems to introduce boot camp programs in 1983 Wilson, 2016). The purpose of introducing boot camp programs is providing alternative sanctions that can reduce recidivism, reduce the prison population, as well as operating cost. Prisoners often tend to re-offend, to deal with this problem, the boot camp systems come with programs that aim at modifying prisoners’ behaviors that contribute to re-offending tendency. This modification of behavior is enhanced through reinforcement of positive behavior and instant punishment of negative ones. Furthermore, the prison population is a growing concern, and a prison boot camp system is a way of dealing with this issue. The boot camp program redirects inmates from traditional incarceration facilities; giving them shorter sentences as inmates in an intensive incarceration program.

In the US, in every 100,000 adults, about 655 of them were in jails by the end of 2016. According to the Bureau of Justice, there are over 2.2 million inmates in the United States. This is due to the increasing number of criminals; some were first-time offenders, while others are recidivists. The double occurrence of crime has led to increased inmates, thus congestion in cells. The increased level of recidivism in the US indicates a gap in existence in the Criminal Justice System. The main aim of the correctional system in the United States is a complete transformation of prisoners to useful community members. For instance, the Prison Boot Camp programs target young inmates who are non-violent and have a higher chance of changing. The sole purpose of sentencing to prison is to give them a changing chance rather than punishing them. Therefore, including positive behavior, correctional systems go beyond restraining inmates, thus reducing recidivism.

According to Benda (2005), some individuals in prison are honestly serving their sentences as a way of rebuilding their characters as well as seeking forgiveness for their wrong deeds. However, under the same system, some inmates are still holding grudges against the regime and community; thus, they are more likely to commit a felony while in prison or after their release. The Criminal Justice System, through the assistance of the boot camp program, offers reduced sentences to minor offenders; however, there might be a chance of reoccurrence of criminal activity, especially if the inmate has not gone through complete behavioral change.

As earlier stated, the aim of a prison sentence is to allow inmates to entirely go through behavioral change so that once released back to the population; they can fit in. However, the boot camp program provides room for reduced sentences and advocates for behavioral change in terms of punishment and rewards. One unclear thing is whether inmates who participate in the program have a reduced chance of recidivism compared to non-participants. This study will assess whether prison boot camp programs are more efficient in the reduction of recidivism compared to regular prison sentences.

According to Cohen (2013) the primary purpose of boot camps is reducing the prison population, reducing cost, and reducing recidivism. The expectation behind the formation of fields is that they would reduce the level of recidivism by changing the inmates’ values, attitudes, and behaviors as well as addressing factors such as addiction, lack of working skills, and anger management issues that may increase the likelihood of going back to prison. Despite the high expectations of the success of boot camp programs, the National Institute of Justice evaluation studies have constantly indicated that boot camps are not reducing recidivism regardless of if they were targeting juveniles or adults, or 1^st generation programs inclusive of military programs. This failure was due to several limitations that the program is failing.

Cronin and Han (2004), state that the length that an individual spends in a boot camp is between 90 and 120 days. Realistically speaking, there is a low dosage effect as this period is too brief to bring an impact on recidivism. Besides, boot camp inmates are often insufficiently unprepared to re-enter into the community. This is because the majority of these boot camps provide little programs that may prepare the graduates to lead productive lives. The State Legislature is also setting unrealistic and conflicting goals; for instance, one goal of the boot camp program was to reduce the prison population, thus making the program shorter. The shorter program has reduced the prison population as well as cost; however, it has increased lower dosage effects as well as the success of the treatment program, hence increasing the potential of recidivism.

Generally speaking, boot camps are proving to be a success in improving prisoners’ behavior and attitudes during the program course. This is because they provide safer environments for residents and staff; this is due to their highly structured atmosphere. For instance, adult boot camp participants have better attitudes towards the confinement environment. Gültekin & Gültekin (2012) suggests that inmates of these adult boot camps have increased self-esteem, increased coping skills, increased problem-solving, and improved social interaction. A comparison between regular inmates and participants in boot camp systems, the boot camp groups, overwhelmingly proves to be better in terms of educational scores such as reading and math.

There are several lessons that correctional practitioners and planners can learn from the failure of the boot camp system and reduce the occurrence of recidivism and prison population. They need to consider building reintegration programs that are required by inmates as they re-enter into the community. They also need to come up with plans that offer substantial time discounts to inmates who have undergone and completed the boot camp and have proven to benefit from the program. For the boot camp system to be successful in reducing recidivism, it needs to provide programs that last longer and give the candidates intensive treatment as well as post-release supervision.

A.    Research Question and Hypothesis

Research Questions

1. Do boot camp programs lead to a decline in recidivism in the United States?
2. Does the prison boot camp program affect the prisoners’ behavior in the United States?

Hypothesis

1. Boot camps play a pivotal role in the reduction of the prison population, reducing cost, and reducing recidivism.
2. Prison boot camp programs often modify the prisoners’ behavior changes hence leading to their re-offending tendency.

B.  Operationalization

The independent study variable is the boot camp program, while the dependent variables are recidivism, prison population, and operating costs (Mitchell 2017). The study measures how changes influence boot camp programs in operating costs and outcomes. Increases and decreases in the operating costs significantly limit the number of the prison population in the boot camp.

                 Furthermore, it measures how the boot camp program is affected by the changes in the size of the prison population. A decline in the number of criminal offenders outstandingly lowers the number of prison admissions in the boot camps. On the other hand, an increase in the prison population would constrain resources in the boot camp and less likely to attain its primary objective (Duwe, 2018).

 The boot camp programs are also affected by the degree of recidivism since people would judge its effectiveness on condition that crime offenders modify their criminal behavior to positive behavioral attributes. Persistent reoccurrence of crimes from the same criminal offenders may generate heated debates about the existence of boot camp programs declaring that the program failed (Barnett and Howard, 2018).

C.  Research Design/ Data and Methods

The study design used a mixed type of methods including well-structured questionnaires and interviews. Well-structured questionnaire study design was used with main targets on the people in the boot camp programs. The aim is to understand whether the program has any impact on their change in behavior. A total of 10 questions are well developed, where the participants are required to furnish with information about their experience under the boot camp program.

The interview research design method was also developed to seek answers from the ex-boot camp program individuals in society. The interviews are meant to gauge whether such individuals had a modification in their behavior after their experience at the boot camps (Wilson, 2016).

     Direct field observation methods were used to investigate whether the ex-boot camp program individuals had positively utilized the knowledge and skills imparted during the program. It is a follow up of whether criminal offenders would likely engage in illegal activities when they are not involved in an income-generating activity.

Target population

The study’s target population for the study is the current population of individuals in a boot camp program and also examined ex-boot camp personnel.

Sampling frame

The study’s sample size consisted of 100 people in boot camp programs and 50 ex-boot camp personnel.

Sampling procedure

The study’s population sample size was selected using stratified random sampling from a population of both currently in the boot camp and those who previously passed boot camp programs in the United States.

Method of data collection

The study employed the observation and use of questionnaire methods to collect data. The study’s time frame is examining the effects of boot camp programs since its inception in the United States to date.

Conclusion:

Questionnaire: Prison Boot Camp Programs and Recidivism

Metrics 1-Strongly disagree, 2.- slightly disagree, 3-Neutral, 4 – Agree, 5 -strongly agree

Consent Form Conditions

Participants are selected for the boot camps by the Department of Correctional Services during a screening upon entering the prison system.

To be eligible, an inmate

(1) must be between the ages of 16 and 35

(2) must not have been convicted of a violent felony, manslaughter in the second degree, certain sex crimes, and escape or absconding offenses

(3) must be eligible for parole within 3 years;

(4) must not have previously been convicted of a felony subject to an indeterminate sentence; and

(5) must volunteer. These eligibility requirements are established by law and have been amended on occasion since the program began.

Participant particulars 

Name _____________________________ Institution __________Date __________

Researcher Details

Name ­­­­­­­­­­­_____________________________________Date ____________________

INTERVIEW GUIDE FOR PRISON WARDERS

1. What rehabilitation programs present in prisons?

___________________________________________________________________

2. How effective are the Prison Boot Camp Programs offered in prisons?

___________________________________________________________________

3. How is the re-integration of inmates done?

___________________________________________________________________

4. Account for inmates coming back to prison

___________________________________________________________________

5. Are the Prison Boot Camp Programs and Recidivism responsible for recidivism in Prisons?

__________________________________________________________________

6. How are inmates categorized in prisons?

__________________________________________________________________

7. Is the duration of inmates training enough to deal with recidivism?

____________________________________________________________________

8. What challenges are prisons facing with regard to achievement of their objectives?

References

Benda, B. B. (2005). Introduction: Boot camps revisited: Issues, problems, prospects. Journal of Offender Rehabilitation, 40(3-4), 1-25.

Cohen, E. R., Barsuk, J. H., Moazed, F., Caprio, T., Didwania, A., McGaghie, W. C., & Wayne, D. B. (2013). Making July safer: simulation-based mastery learning during intern boot camp. Academic Medicine, 88(2), 233-239.

Cronin, R. C., & Han, M. (2004). Boot camps for adult and juvenile offenders: Overview and update. Washington, DC: US Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs, National Institute of Justice.

Gültekin, K., & Gültekin, S. (2012). Is juvenile boot camp policy effective? Journal of Human Sciences, 9(1), 725-740.

Wilson, D. B. (2016). Correctional programs. In What works in crime prevention and rehabilitation (pp. 193-217). Springer, New York, NY.

Barnett, G. D., & Howard, F. F. (2018). What Doesn’t Work to Reduce Reoffending. European Psychologist.

Duwe, G. (2018). The effects of the timing and dosage of correctional programming on recidivism. Journal of Offender Rehabilitation, 57(3-4), 256-271.

Mitchell, O. (2017). Boot Camps. The Encyclopedia of Juvenile Delinquency and Justice, 1-5.

Wilson, D. B. (2016). Correctional programs. In What works in crime prevention and rehabilitation (pp. 193-217). Springer, New York, NY.