Recidivism, a phenomenon when ex-prisoners recommit crimes after being released, is a complex social issue. The essay below will figure out the underlying causes of this problem, as well as propose some solutions that could address it to a great extent.
The key rationale behind recidivism may lie in the lack of support systems. Many ex-criminals find it hard to reenter society as people often hold a false and discriminative conception about people who are previously incarcerated, giving these people a sense of isolation. Moreover, many of them struggle to find jobs after being free as many employers refuse to hire people with prior verdicts. Secondly, a lack of vocational training and education sessions in prison also leads to the same result as ex-criminals, who are left behind by society, and did not acquire essential skills to pursue legitimate careers, which can push them back to crimes as a means of survival. Clearly, these factors above greatly contribute to recidivism.
Concerted efforts from the whole society are needed to address the issue to a great extent. Firstly, governments and communities should create more opportunities for people who have a record of committing crimes to reintegrate into society. They can be financial support from authority or the enhanced awareness of people about ex-criminals. For example, in Vietnam, criminals after gaining freedom are given an amount of money in order for them to live a new life as good citizens; and it has helped a lot in preventing prisoners from becoming recidivists. Secondly, simultaneous actions from the government and employers, namely organizing more vocational training as well as giving more job opportunities for ex-prisoners, are encouraged as it can bring these people a secure income after being released. It is clear that these suggested solutions can tackle recidivism effectively.
In conclusion, the issue of ex-criminals becoming recidivists appears when there is a lack of support systems and vocational training sessions in prisons, which leads to struggling situations when these prisoners are isolated from society and get few opportunities to have a job. However, by applying the right rehabilitation policy such as improving people’s conception about ex-criminals as well as organizing more vocational and educational training, I believe that the issue can be effectively addressed.