Psychologists Explain High Recidivism Rate

Special guests for the "Human Rights for Prisoners March" Blogtalkradio shows next week will be Dr. Earle Williams and Dr. Jean Kennedy. Dr. Williams is a clinical psychologist with over 20 years of professional experience in Forensic Psychology. Dr. Williams is an educator and television commentator as well as a practicing psychologist. His responsibilities have included conducting psychological assessments to determine defendants' trial readiness. Dr. Williams is involved in helping released prisoners avoid recidivism.

Research by the Bureau of Justice Statistics shows that 67.5 percent of released prisoners are rearrested within three years, almost exclusively for felonies or serious misdemeanors. All reentry programs should include counseling ex-offenders on how to avoid recidivism.

Sunday, May 18, 2014, 3pm EST - "Human Rights for Prisoners March" Blogtalkradio show on HUMAN RIGHTS DEMAND channel. Call-in (347) 857-3293. Listen live or to the archived tapes 24/7 at 
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/humanrightsdemand/2014/05/18/human-rights-for-prisoners-march

Monday, May 19, 2014, 12 midnight EST - "Human Rights for Prisoners March" Blogtalkradio show on NNIA1 channel. Call-in at (818)572-2947. Listen live or to the archived tapes 24/7 at
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/nnia1/2014/05/20/human-rights-for-prisoners-march

Dr. Williams wants to give back by helping released prisoners have a successful reentry. VIDEO http://youtu.be/gVVl3HtaL3A

Visit Dr. Williams' website at 
http://www.drearle.com/

Dr. Williams is committed to helping improve success and has made some of his publications available for free 
http://www.drearle.com/publications.html

Organizational psychologist and radio host Dr. Jean Kennedy will also be a guest on both shows. She is currently working with prisoner activist Mary Neal to publish a book to expose and oppose detrimental punishments in America: "Extreme Punishments - SHU and DP." Dr. Kennedy is prepared to explain the organization structure of America's justice system, which contributes to the nation's unacceptable high rate of recidivism.

Both psychologists have something in common with the ex-offenders they strive to help. Both have also been arrested.

Current National Statistics on Recidivism
Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS) studies have found high rates of recidivism among released prisoners. One study tracked 272,111 prisoners in 15 states after their release from prison in 1994.[1] The researchers found that:
Within three years:
~67.5 percent were rearrested (almost exclusively for felonies or serious misdemeanors)
~46.9 percent were reconvicted
~25.4 percent were resentenced to prison for a new crime

The offenders accumulated 4.1 million arrest charges before their most recent imprisonment and another 744,000 charges within three years of release.

Released prisoners with the highest rearrest rates were robbers (70.2 percent), those in prison for possessing, using or selling illegal weapons (70.2 percent), burglars (74.0 percent), larcenists (74.6 percent), those in prison for possessing or selling stolen property (77.4 percent), and motor vehicle thieves (78.8 percent).

Within three years, 2.5 percent of released rapists were arrested for another rape, and 1.2 percent of those who had served time for homicide were arrested for another homicide. See NIJ data at
http://www.nij.gov/topics/corrections/recidivism/Pages/welcome.aspx

Visit "Human Rights for Prisoners March" blog at 
http://humanrightsforprisonersmarch.blogspot.com
One reason for mass incarceration and recidivism is discussed in the article called "Pushing Young Blacks to the Drug Culture" featuring Ferrell Williams' hip hop song, "Young Niggas, Move That Dope."
http://humanrightsforprisonersmarch.blogspot.com/2014/05/pushing-black-youths-to-drug-culture.html

Attorney General Eric Holder recently announced an expansive clemency review under sentencing reforms that may result in thousands more inmates being released from prison. Successful reentry for released prisoners should therefore be a high priority. The attorney general said:

“Once these reforms go into effect, we expect to receive thousands of additional applications for clemency. And we at the Department of Justice will meet this need by assigning potentially dozens of lawyers—with backgrounds in both prosecution and defense—to review applications and provide the rigorous scrutiny that all clemency applications require.”

Please listen to and share our radio broadcasts on May 18 and 19. Many government officials and human rights activists are involved in justice reform. Most people agree that 2.3 million prisoners are too many. More must be done to reduce incarceration through education, skills training, decriminalizing mental illness and drug addiction, and launching successful reentry programs. Correctional facilities should emphasize rehabilitation, and corporations that use prison laborers should hire their released workers. Nonviolent offenders' records should be automatically expunged, and voting rights should be restored. Without a significant change in the rate of recidivism, prison releases under the Justice Department's sentencing reforms will not impact mass incarceration to the degree that could be realized.

Mary Neal, director
Assistance to the Incarcerated Mentally Ill
http://www.care2.com/c2c/group/aimi

Dog Justice for Mentally Ill
http://DogJusticeforMentallyIll.blogspot.com

WrongfulDeathofLarryNeal
http://wrongfuldeathoflarryneal.com/main.html