Rehabilitation

Isabella Fresquez
Juile Robertrs
English1010
Rehabilitation
Would you rather live next to a Sexual predator or a violent offender? It’s the same thing,
you could be emotionally, physically and mentally affected by either of these offenders, but yet
the only people who are able to rehabilitate themselves are sexual offenders. We have left our
violent offenders in the dark with no hope of programs to help them rehabilitate themselves. I'm
knowledgeable about this topic because I've seen and known people who have been affected by
these injustices. My hopes are for you to believe in second chances and rehabilitation for violent
offenders.I will be going over how everyone should be treated equally, As well as how the lack
of programming leads to the lack of opportunity and how we can help as a society.
What does the 14 amendment mean to you? Everyone should be treated equally. In an interview
I conducted with Ritchie Arellano, a previously convicted felon he states “it shouldn’t be based
on your crime or how much time you are doing . To Determine the treatment you received while
incarcerated. A violent criminal doesn’t receive the same treatment as a drug addict or sex
offender. Etc.in the fact that other parties get programming while violent offenders spend their
time in segregation. if the judicial system was equal and treated everyone the same no matter
what the crime is or how severe or not severe everybody should get a chance to rehabilitate
themselves back into society otherwise there is no justice in the system the system is corrupt.”
So what does the 14th amendment mean here according to a website called interactive
constitution created by the national constitution center It says, “... nor shall any State deprive any
person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its
jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws”. by denying these individuals the chance of
rehabilitation the justice system is depriving them of their due process and the equal protection
of the law which states that its the citizens entitlement to be treated equally throughout the
normal judicial system.
The lack of programming leads to lack of opportunity, But yet there's so many programs on a
website called corrections.utah.gov it explains the programs offered in utah prisons such as
Educational, Employment, Life skills, Conquest, HOPE, Excel...etc all these programs leave so
much opportunity for inmates which is good but none of these programs are offered to these
violent offenders so where is the justice and equality in that. In an article called rehabilitating
violent offenders is possible why aren't we doing it written by Rebecca Mcray she talks about
how these violent offenders are just punished to solitary confinement which consists of spending
up to 23 hours a day of isolation in 7 by 12ft cells sometimes years at a time. For these prisoners
—even for those who will ultimately be released—supportive programming or rehabilitation is
almost nonexistent. which results in why we have multiple violent offenders that are returning to
prison for violating their parole/probation, because they were not offered these rehabilitation
programs hence The Lack Of Programs leads To The Lack Of Opportunity. In an article called
our criminal justice system is meant to inflict pain here's how we can heal it written by Van
Jones he talks about the first step act and in it he says, “the first step act began with a recognition
that prisons can't just be places of punishment. They must also create opportunities for
rehabilitation and transformation. The law expands programming throughout the federal prison
system and adds incentives that encourage men and women to pursue classes that will help them
successfully return to their families and communities. It also scaled back some of the harshest
criminal penalties like mandatory life sentences for third-strike drug offenses and retroactively
applied other reforms to give thousands of people an opportunity to petition a judge for their
freedom. “ so basically violent offenders should have these options open for them but they are
being withheld because of the hardcore labling and sterotypes such as people refering to them as
unteatable sicopaths that will manipulate you hangs over them and no one every thinks to give a
violent person a secound chance.
Now that we have seen these injustice factors of programming in prisons. How we can help! we
can help by supporting the agencies out there that are aimed to incapacitate this problem
agencies such as Prisoner FellowShip International, Reaching out within ect. In an article called
rehabilitating violent offenders is possible why aren't we doing it written by Rebecca Mcray she
writes about how James Gilligan a psychiatrist who has previously worked in prison programs
for violent offenders sees no alternative. In San Francisco, his team calculated that the level of
re-offending and re-incarceration was so low for participants that the intensive program saved
taxpayers $4 for every $1 spent on it.“It’s an investment that pays itself off,” said Gilligan. “The
question is not can we afford to have a program like this in our prisons and jails but can we
afford not to. Right now, we’re wasting money and wasting human lives. We’re making the
community less safe.” Therefore we have the funding for it which is why we have so many
programs but we aren't letting these violent offenders participate in these already fluctuating
programs. For people in solitary confinement extra curricular activities are non-existent because
of the twenty-three hour lock down leaving thirty min of free time in a bigger box.
In conclusion due to the 14th amendment Everyone should be treated equally therefore there
should be no segregation between who can do what programming since there are so many
programs offered. As well as for the first step act states prisons can't just be a place of
punishment they also have to be a place of rehabilitation . As a state we can already afford it for
non violent offenders so what's the hassle more rehabilitation less population. How can we have
justice in the system if the system is corrupt? So you tell me would you rather live next to a
sexual predator or violent offender?

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Isabella Fresquez

normal judicial system.

—even for those who will ultimately be released—supportive programming or rehabilitation is

violent person a secound chance.

sexual predator or violent offender?

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