What are we trying to accomplish? Are we making a difference? Why does it matter?
In the mid-70’s, Robert Martinson reviewed all the evaluations of criminal rehabilitation programs between 1945 and 1967. His conclusion has since been dubbed the “Nothing Works Doctrine.” With few exceptions, rehabilitative efforts had no appreciable effect on criminal recidivism according to the research. At the same time in our nation’s history came the push to get tough on crime. Retribution and deterrence quickly replaced treatment and rehabilitation as proper responses to crime, and the warehousing era and mass incarceration soon followed. So, what’s the problem?
Aside from the fact that we are talking about people here – as opposed to making widgets or selling insurance – more recent research indicates there are evidence-based principles we can follow which will indeed yield better outcomes. And what exactly do we mean by better outcomes? Certainly, at in2Action we hope our residents do not return to prison; but it does not end there, not by a long shot. We regularly see our men growing in their relationship with God, their family, and their friends. We see them effectively managing their emotions and the stress of everyday life. Our residents often become gainfully employed in fields with real career opportunities. They realize they can live a meaningful and joyous life without alcohol and drugs. They learn that they have choices and they begin to make better decisions. Are these outcomes true for every person every time? Not at all. But they are true much more often than if in2Action did not exist at all.
There are probably lots of things we do differently at in2Action to achieve these outcomes than what you might find elsewhere. But perhaps the most important is our Christ-centered emphasis on relationships. As a relationship-driven effort, each of our residents has each staff member’s personal cell number, and we have theirs. And when they do not call us, we call them. I have never heard from, nor sensed a single resident at in2Action who did not feel valued and cared for. This, in combination with our research-based activities and structure, is what I believe can show our community that SOMETHING DOES WORK – and that something can and should be replicated elsewhere, and I hope it is.
I feel honored and blessed to be able to walk with and support the gentlemen we serve at in2Action. When residents at in2Action are successful they become the fathers, the sons, and the husbands God created them to be. They become the employees employers are looking for and the neighbors we are looking for. When our men are successful they transition from committing crimes and taking victims in our community to becoming contributing productive members of society in our community. In2Action works. I will discuss more specifically how we do what we do in our next newsletter.
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