The American society social constructs have for a long time remained relatively skewed against felons through stigmatization behaviors. Over the years, the government and other reform stakeholders in the sector have adopted faith-based rehabilitation programs to offer support to offenders. In retrospect, the programs are structured in a way that helps felons not only to re-enter society but do so in a dignified manner. The approach of employing faith-based helps felons overcome the discrimination that they face is society by providing support systems that are effective and reliably guide them on the ways to adapt to the new environment (Camp et al., 2006). Albeit this approach, in some rare instances, some of these programs have been used to lure felons into cultic movements that manipulates them into extremism behavior in violation of their parole rules. Arguably, despite these disadvantages, the faith-based re-entry programs have proved to very effective ways that the society uses to ensure that felon re-enter society and have the means to support themselves and develop social connections with other offenders undergoing the same process. To this end, subsequent discussions will critically explore the various advantages and disadvantages associated with the concept of applying faith-based re-entry programs to help felons overcome the discrimination and stigmatization associated with the process of re-entering society.
To begin with faith-based re-entry programs are very effective because they have a well-structured support system that provides the felons to a network that offers both financial and psychological support. Both of which are very core to the success of the whole rehabilitation programs that have put in place over the years to help in the reentry of the convicts back to society. In this regard, the convicts enjoy a secure source of employment without having to face the discrimination and stigma of various persons. More so, the faith-based programs also contain psychological support for the offenders often provided through several counseling sessions (Camp et al., 2008). Indeed, it is a support system that provides not just financial support to the offenders but also ensures that they are well versed on the ways to deal with stigma and discrimination society without resulting to violent means as a solution to their problems.
Delegate your assignment to our experts and they will do the rest.
The faith-based programs also create a community for the offenders that helps them to develop connections that support them through the re-entry programs. The perspectives of most people who have not experienced the rehabilitation system are often flawed because they are very judgmental. Therefore, through the inclusivity of the other offenders into the network of the faith –based programs, majority of the offenders become part of a system that allows them to overcome the stigma (Mears et al., 2006). Consequentially, they develop a sense of self esteem that progressively grows overtime as they fully embrace the program as part of their day to life. Through these social relations, most of the felons reenter society successfully and within a very short time become part of the social systems of society.
One of the disadvantages of the faith-based is that some of the initiatives are abused and pushes the participants towards extremism which at times acts as a trigger to violence and non-conformity of behavior. As such, the programs though serve a positive role in society may be detrimental to the progress of the individual if they are used to advance ideologies that cultic in nature. In summation, the faith-based re-entry programs are part of a process that encourages assimilation of offenders in society by incorporating principles to guide felons of how to adapt into society and support them through provision of employment opportunities.
References
Camp, S. D., Daggett, D. M., Kwon, O., & Klein-Saffran, J. (2008). The effect of faith program participation on prison misconduct: The life connections program. Journal of Criminal Justice , 36 (5), 389-395. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jcrimjus.2008.07.004
CAMP, S. D., KLEIN-SAFFRAN, J., KWON, O. (., DAGGETT, D. M., & JOSEPH, V. (2006). An exploration into participation in a faith-based prison program. Criminology <html_ent glyph="@amp;" ascii="&"/> Public Policy , 5 (3), 529-550. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1745-9133.2006.00387.x
Mears, D. P., Roman, C. G., Wolff, A., & Buck, J. (2006). Faith-based efforts to improve prisoner reentry: Assessing the logic and evidence. Journal of Criminal Justice , 34 (4), 351-367. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jcrimjus.2006.05.002
