NCJ Number
46302
Journal
Journal of Employment Counseling Volume: 12 Issue: 4 Dated: (DECEMBER 1975) Pages: 162-167
Date Published
1975
Length
6 pages
Annotation
A FICTIONAL CASE HISTORY ILLUSTRATES THE PROBLEMS OF A TYPICAL CLIENT OF THE ARIZONA DEPARTMENT OF ECONOMIC SECURITY EX-OFFENDER PROGRAM.
Abstract
THE EX-OFFENDER PROGRAM OFFERS A RANGE OF EMPLOYMENT SERVICES TO EX-OFFENDERS WHO ARE BEING RETURNED TO THEIR HOME COMMUNITIES. THESE SERVICES INCLUDE PERSONAL AND VOCATIONAL COUNSELING, VOCATIONAL GUIDANCE, PERSONALIZED JOB DEVELOPMENT, AND JOB PLACEMENT. THE PROGRAM HAS STAFF TEAMS LOCATED IN THE STATE PRISON AND AT VARIOUS OTHER LOCATIONS THROUGHOUT ARIZONA. THIS PROGRAM ATTEMPTS TO HELP THOSE INMATES WHO HAVE SEVERE PROBLEMS WHICH HINDER THEM IN FINDING JOBS AFTER THEIR RELEASE. ITS CLIENTS NOT ONLY BEAR THE STIGMA OF BEING EX-CONVICTS, BUT ARE ALSO LARGELY UNTRAINED AND UNSKILLED AND ARE UNDER DEEP EMOTIONAL STRESS AS A RESULT OF THEIR EXPERIENCES WHILE INCARCERATED. IN WORKING WITH THESE CLIENTS, PROGRAM STAFF HAVE BECOME AWARE OF THE APPARENT DUAL IDENTITY OF MANY INMATES. A FICTITIOUS PORTRAIT OF JOE PROFILE ILLUSTRATES AND HELPS EXPLAIN THIS NOTION OF DUALITY. JOE SERVED 25 MONTHS OF HIS 5-YEAR TO 7-YEAR SENTENCE. HE RECEIVED SOME VOCATIONAL TRAINING WHILE IN PRISON, BUT HE WAS NOT PAROLED IMMEDIATELY AFTER COMPLETING HIS COURSE. HIS SKILLS WERE LOST OR BECAME RUSTY, AND HE WAS LEFT WITH NO MARKETABLE SKILLS. WHEN HE ENTERED PRISON, JOE HAD FOUND THAT MOST OF HIS LEARNED BEHAVIORS WERE NOW INAPPROPRIATE. INDEPENDENCE AND DECISIONMAKING SKILLS ARE NOT REINFORCED IN PRISON; THEY ARE OFTEN PUNISHED. JOE LEARNED COMPLETELY DEPENDENT BEHAVIOR AND BEGAN TO RATIONALIZE HIS CONVICTION, BLAMING SOCIETY AND ACCEPTING NO RESPONSIBILITY FOR HIS OWN BEHAVIOR. BESIDES CONTRIBUTING TO JOE'S IMMATURITY AND INABILITY TO COPE WITH PROBLEMS, PRISON LIFE ALSO EXPOSED HIM TO SITUATIONAL HOMOSEXUALITY. THIS INVOLVEMENT IS LIKELY TO AFFECT HIS RELATIONSHIPS WITH OTHER PEOPLE ON THE 'OUTSIDE.' IN PRISON, JOE LEARNED WHAT PAROLE BOARDS LOOKED FOR IN MAKING THEIR DECISIONS. HE THEREFORE OBTAINED HIS GENERAL EQUIVALENCY DIPLOMA, COMPLETED WELDING SCHOOL, AND JOINED A DRUG ABUSE PROGRAM; HE PRESENTED AN APPEARANCE OF MODEL BEHAVIOR AND ADMIRABLE EFFORTS AT REHABILITATION. HIS MOTIVES, HOWEVER, WAS PAROLE, NOT REHABILITATION, AND HE HAD NO INTENTION OF USING HIS NEW SKILLS ON THE OUTSIDE. HE AGREED TO PARTICIPATE IN A NUMBER OF POSTRELEASE COUNSELING PROGRAMS, BUT HE WAS ACTUALLY AMENABLE ONLY AS LONG AS HE WAS INCARCERATED. AFTER THE APPROVAL OF JOE'S PAROLE AND APPROXIMATELY 30 DAYS BEFORE HIS RELEASE, THE EX-OFFENDER TEAM OFFERED HIM SUPPORTIVE SERVICES. THIS SUPPORT CONTINUED AFTER HIS RELEASE, AS HE BEGAN TO FIND THE DEPENDENT BEHAVIOR HE LEARNED IN PRISON TO BE COUNTERPRODUCTIVE ON THE OUTSIDE. THIS 'INSIDE-OUT MAN' IS DESCRIBED AS A VICTIM FIRST OF PROBLEMS OF HIS OWN MAKING AND, IN ADDITION, A VICTIM OF THE PROBLEMS INFLICTED ON HIM BY SOCIETY IN AN ATTEMPT TO REHABILITATE HIM THROUGH PUNITIVE MEASURES ALONE.