WITHOUT RISK, THERE ARE NO REWARDS: THE NEED FOR CONTINUOUS INNOVATION IN BUSINESS AND CRIMINAL JUSTICE

#PrisonReform #InnovativeJustice #CriminalJusticeReform #ModernPrisons #SmartIncarceration #EvidenceBasedPolicy #Rehabilitation #JusticeForAll #FutureOfJustice #TaxpayerSavings

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WITHOUT RISK, THERE ARE NO REWARDS: THE NEED FOR CONTINUOUS INNOVATION IN BUSINESS AND CRITending The Peace

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THERE ARE NO REWARDS, IF THERE ARE NO RISK! A FAILING BUSINESS, IS ONE THAT IS NOT CONTINUOUSLY INNOVATIVE. THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM MUST CONTINUE TO INNOVATE AND TAKE RISK IN ORDER TO CONFORM TO THE FUTURE.

Federal and State prison systems across the country struggle with recruiting staff to work at prisons. A decade ago, prisons struggled with getting sufficient funding. The long period of under funding prison systems has now caught up. In order to move forwards prisons need to take risk in downsizing prison systems, while at the same time increase funding to modernize the prison systems.

Governments must consider a shoots and ladders system for prisoner management. Build universal prisons that can fluctuate security levels as needed and use technology to monitor, control, educate and provide services to prisoners. Investing in modern prison systems, will ultimately control prison population levels and lower cost over the long term.

Instituting rapidly progressive disciplinary systems addressing behavioral problems immediately with computer based programming, videoconferencing, cognitive behavioral coaching and peer support, would help manage and reduce behavioral problems. This would lead to requiring fewer overall staff and more prisoners being released on their earliest release dates. Current behavioral management practices, allow prisoners to found guilty of several misconducts and serving sanctions with little to no programming or coaching to reinforce their behavior. Utilizing additional services would have a significant impact on prisoner behavioral management. Prisoners who do not have behavioral problems, should receive rewards to reinforce positive behavior. This would include sentencing credits, special events and special meals.

Many States are installing secure WiFi in prisons to improve programming, education, family connections and prisoner services. Providing programming through videoconferencing on tablets would allow any prisoner in a prison system to access programming, education or services from any location within the system. That would mean that a prisoner would not need to be transferred to another facility for programming.

The above measures would reduce the length of the average prisoners incarceration, saving staff time and money. Prison systems can also make evidence based decisions and risk assessments to control prisoners externally.

Controlling prisoners externally outside the confines of a prison, would save States enormous amounts of money and require fewer staff. There are several options a State could use: (1) Home confinement using advanced tethers and facial recognition programs, (2) Dormitories or micro apartments managed by nonprofits using check in / check out procedures and advanced tethers and require a corporate or nonprofit community stakeholder as a sponsor, (3) Micro apartments (8-plexes) adjacent to existing prisons, with tether for prisoners 65 or older, disabled prisoners, or prisoners with an employer sponsor, (4) Work release from inside prison, prisoners released for work hours, medical appointments, religious meetings, and approved visitation.

The Federal or State prison system would set the policy regarding release and the prisoner and / or their employer would be responsible for their upkeep.

Currently, States are paying to incarcerate prisoners who are 65 or older, Disabled or completely capable of earning a living wage. Why are taxpayers throwing their money away? Many prisoners, even those serving life sentences, are capable of being managed outside of prisons. The issue is, what structure is needed to prevent risk to the community?

Currently, criminal defendants, even those facing potential life sentences, can be eligible for bail. Granted, there are many people who are convicted of felonies, that need a "cool down" or "wake up" period of incarceration. This is not to say, that every prisoner should be eligible for some form of external confinement. There are many prisoners who cannot control their behavior in lower security prisons, let alone the community. If you talk with corrections officials, you would find that there is difference in the percentage of prisoners with behavioral problems, whether they are eligible for release in several months, several years or serving life sentences. In fact, they may tell you that prisoners who have been incarcerated for more than a decade, are generally less of a behavioral problem than many prisoners serving short term sentences.

Prison systems must become innovative and take evidence based risk. Without innovation or risk taking, the criminal justice system will eventually become an unbearable wound to taxpayers.