Re-Entry of Offenders Into Society

Introduction

Randall is a 32-year-old African American man born and raised in Detroit. His life is overwhelmed with the experience of family neglect, sexual abuse, substance dependence, and repetitive criminal activity. Randall has nine felony convictions, including four probations, three jail times, and two imprisonments. Randall is now married, yet his only child is the son from the first marriage. Having completed nine grades at school, a GED program, and community service training as a cook, Randall has been in and out of jobs until recently, when he found a stable full-time job as a cook in a burger diner. His current marriage and relative security contain his alcohol abuse impulses, so he has been clean for nearly three years. However, the inability to have a strong support group makes Randall feel rather insecure about where his life is currently going.

Randall’s Background

From early childhood, Randall was exposed to a series of emotional and physical challenges that inevitably took a toll on his behavioral patterns and lifestyle habits. The man had been left without his mother when he was only eleven years old since she left without any notice. Randall’s father left for California soon after, and the boy and his two brothers were adopted by a woman they referred to as their grandmother. By the time his parents disappeared, Randall had already been exposed to sexual abuse.

When living with their grandmother, who had already been taking care of fourteen children from a group home, Randall and his brothers had no choice but to seek survival options by securing jobs and running away from home. The boy’s involvement in criminal activities started when he dropped out of high school and began to work as a drug dealer for his cousin. Excited by the opportunity to earn money fast, Randall started to engage in all types of criminal behavior, including drug dealing, car stealing, and substance abuse. Such as lifestyle initiated a series of felony convictions, as Randall used to fall into the old patterns even after the times of relative stability.

One of the major challenges related to Randall’s lifestyle is the lack of a proper support system that would address his mental issues. Being a victim of sexual abuse, Randall had a tendency to engage in abusive relationships with women and family because he had never witnessed an example of a healthy relationship. As a result, his inner desire to build a better life for himself and his family is constantly distorted by minor inconveniences and failures that encourage him to engage in criminal and self-destructive activities. Currently, Randall has a wife and a full-time job as a cook. However, his tendency to give up and lose faith in his potential can easily bring this relative stability to an end.

Risk Assessment

When addressing the cases of criminal offenders and their reentry potential, it is critical to define the risks that might stand in the way of successful reintegration. According to Schlager (2013), there are two primary groups of risk factors: static and dynamic. The former stand for the risks associated with previous behavior that cannot be amended, whereas dynamic risk factors characterize one’s behavior that can be changed with the correct reintegration approach. In the case of Randall, the static risk that accounts for recidivism is prior criminal offense history, whereas other emotional and socio-economic factors can be altered and perceived as dynamic.

Criminal History

Based on the information from the book, Randall has nine felony convictions. According to Randall, these offenses include five drug-related convictions, two records of car theft, and two records of firearm possession (Harding et al., 2019). With the history of four probations, three jail time sentences, and two imprisonments, Randall faces a series of challenges when it comes to reintegration, as his criminal record and racial stigma serve as marginalization factors in society. Moreover, the engagement in criminal activity took place during different periods of his life, increasing the risk of recidivation.

Social Network

Since his early childhood, delinquent peers have surrounded Randall, so his social network mostly consists of substance abusers and criminal offenders with no support system. Every time Randall interacts with his social network, he is prone to fall into criminal and destructive behavioral patterns, and he claims that the only way for him to stay clean is to isolate himself from society. Thus, Randall’s surrounding present a high risk for his recidivist behavior, and he needs to establish distinct boundaries and expand his support system.

Substance Abuse

Randall has an alcohol addiction that manifests itself inconsistently. Randall is able to remain sober only if he is not exposed to other people’s drinking and emotional distress. For at least one year now, Randall has attended NA meetings with his wife, Janelle. His drinking patterns depend heavily on his emotional state. Sometimes, the claims that drinking is a cause of a certain precedent, such as a fight with Janelle or social hardships. For this reason, it is of paramount importance to make sure that Randall finds a stable foundation for sobriety in the short term.

Mental Health

Since early childhood, Randall has been dealing with severe psychological traumas of parental neglect and sexual abuse. Nobody believed him when he tried to address his experience as a survivor, so he chose social isolation and drinking as coping mechanisms to distance himself from the trauma. Later in life, Randall also experienced the loss of his second child. While he devoted himself to helping Janelle process the loss, it is unlikely he addressed the implications of such a traumatic experience for his mental health. If these issues remain neglected, the risks of relapse are alarmingly high. Hence, it is vital to provide the client with proper mental health support and therapy resources.

Education and Cognitive Skills

Randall dropped out of high school in the ninth grade and became instantly involved in drug dealing. However, when serving his prison time, Randall voiced the goal to complete his GED and study in a culinary school. According to Schlager (2013), “increased education while in prison results in improved cognitive skills of offenders … thereby reducing their likelihood of reoffending” (p. 69). Hence, conviction provided Randall with some insights into his future, encouraging him to complete an employment-training service as a cook (Harding et al., 2019). The client has good cognitive skills and potential, but higher educational attainment is required to secure a stable full-time job.

Employment and Accommodation

Currently, Randall has a full-time job as a cook in a burger diner with a $7.50/hour pay rate. However, for the most part, he was unable to spend more than a few months in one place and had dozens of jobs, especially given the fact that no employer wanted to offer a proper job to a former convict. It is evident from the interview that Randall wants a better future for himself, and his current job is a way to manage a relationship with his wife. For this reason, it is likely that Randall might quit as soon as he has problems at home. As far as the accommodation is concerned, Randall has no permanent residence and currently lives with his wife, Janelle. In case the relationship ends, he will become homeless once again.

Summary

Given the risk assessment above, it becomes evident that the central issue of Randall’s reentry plan is the instability and impulsivity of his decisions. Lack of a proper support system and serious psychological trauma led to Randall’s poor decision-making and falling into drinking and criminal patterns. At the same time, Randall sees a better life for himself and his family, and he has the potential to secure a job and financial and emotional wellness once he receives the help required.

Reentry Plan

Support System

Based on the risks faced by Randall, the most important aspects of his rehabilitation concern support system, counseling, education, and welfare. Randall pursues delinquent behavior because his surroundings continue to encourage criminal activity and drug dealing. In order to distance Randall from this influence, a case manager will encourage the client to visit the weekly NA meetings and find a proper sponsor to help Randall stay focused on his priorities. Moreover, it is highly recommended Rendall start communicating with people outside his regular circle, such as new work colleagues and former offenders who could share their reentry examples. Joining the Detroit Rescue Mission Ministries (DRMM, n.d.) Alumni Services would be a great opportunity to listen to the inspiring stories of individuals with similar backgrounds. These services are designed for the former offenders to meet with the organization’s alumni and conduct networking FAQ sessions.

Counseling

Psychological trauma can be rightfully considered a root problem for Randall. As a survivor of neglect and sexual abuse, he tends to distance himself from others because his support system, or lack thereof, does not acknowledge his experience. The case manager should provide Randall with a professional cognitive-behavioral therapist who would outline the existing issues and an action roadmap to heal from the trauma. To make sure Randall is eligible for free mental services, he will need to file for Medicaid as an uninsured ex-offender. Then, a case manager should connect Randall with the professionals from HUDA Clinic in Metro Detroit (HUDA Free Community Health Clinic, 2022). The clinic provides uninsured residents with free cognitive-behavioral therapy and rehabilitation. Another option for Randall would be to visit weekly spiritual services for former convicts.

Education and Welfare

Since Randall has already undergone an employment training culinary program, it would be beneficial for him to proceed with his education in a community college. Moreover, given that Randall is currently employed, he can use this time as a transition period between receiving a college degree and applying for another culinary job under the Transitional Jobs DRMM (n.d.) program. As far as housing is concerned, the case manager’s responsibility is to ensure that Randall has housing options in case there are problems with renting accommodation with his wife. By providing information on DRMM temporary housing options, the case manager will make sure that Randall does not fall into delinquent behavioral patterns instead of seeking community help.

Evaluation Method

In order for Randall to follow through with the plan, it is imperative for the case manager to arrange weekly meetings with the client in order to help him adjust to a new schedule that includes DRMM meetings, counseling, education, and coping with the financial and housing situation. Expecting Randall to embrace so many changes on his own is not right, and such weekly meetings or online calls should be conducted during the first two months after the initial meeting. During this time, the case manager will adjust the reentry plan for Randall so he does not feel overwhelmed.

Once the plan is stabilized, the evaluation should take the form of meetings two, six, and twelve months after the last visit. During these visits, the case manager will evaluate the number of convictions, the level of sobriety, the housing situation, the number of counseling sessions, and the number of support group meetings attended. Apart from the quantitative evaluation, the case manager should also address his overall emotional state of Randall and his concerns associated with reintegration. Based on the evaluation, suggestions and recommendations for social services and the client will be outlined.

Challenges

The complex background of Randall’s life presents a series of obstacles to reintegrating into society. The first challenge is Randall’s surroundings, as his behavior depends on the influence of his friends and family. Although Randall is currently in a long-term relationship with his wife, he has housing and a full-time job. However, his relationship with his wife remains rather unstable, and Randall is at risk of engaging in drinking and criminal activity if there is a family conflict. Moreover, due to the antisocial behavior, Randall is less likely to develop positive connections with the support group.

Another challenge is the emotional health of the client. For most of his life, Randall has dealt with the severe psychological trauma of sexual abuse and marginalization without external support. Healing from such an experience is a long and painful journey, as people are frequently unwilling to relive their trauma in order to process it. Hence, Randall may either refuse to counsel or continue allowing the trauma to control his relationships in society and justify his offenses.

Finally, the stigma of a former offender will continue to affect Randall’s personal and professional life. Feeling marginalized, ex-offenders are likely to fall into criminal behavioral patterns because they feel they have nothing to lose or gain. To minimize that feeling, Randall would need to come a long way in accepting his static risk of prior criminal history and focusing on the aspects of life he could change in the long term.

Reflection and Conclusion

Looking back at Randall’s life, it becomes evident that the outlined reentry plan is rather unrealistic. Having no support group, Randall is used to relying solely on himself to earn a living. As a result, he will not have enough time and resources to study, grow emotionally, and provide for his family. However, Randall is a person with hopes and dreams for a better future and a potential in culinary arts. When supported by the community, the man is likely to find enough confidence to pursue his offense-free life.

One of the main challenges for Randall is his impulsivity, as he regrets being involved in criminal activity almost immediately after he commits a crime or takes a drink. Thus, therapy and counseling should become a priority for Randall during the first two months of the reentry program. To conclude, social reintegration will be a long journey for Randall, but there is a chance that previous experiences will encourage him to commit fully to the new experience.

References

Detroit Rescue Mission Ministries. (n.d.). Michigan prisoner reentry services. Web.

Harding, D. J., Morenoff, J. D., & Wyse, J. J. B. (2019). On the outside. The University of Chicago Press.

HUDA Free Community Health Clinic. (2022). Free mental health services & medical services for underinsured & uninsured residents of Metro Detroit. Web.

Schlager, M. (2013). Rethinking the reentry paradigm: A blueprint for action. Carolina Academic Press.