The heartbreak of recidivism
The two-pronged tactic of skills training and business activities has had a surprising effect, but regrettably, cultivating a skill in an inmate does not necessarily achieve the goal of character reform.
According to a March 2009 survey by the Ministry of Justice, 80,192 inmates were released from prison in 2007 and 2008, among them 5,411 who had received skills training related to these self-run enterprises. But among these convicts on whom so much hope had been pinned, the recidivism rate was as high as 23.8%, only slightly lower than the rate of 25.5% among ex-cons in general.
Regarding this finding, Chang Ping-wu, professor of security management at Ming Chuan University and an authority on criminology, believes that there are misgivings and discriminatory sentiments among the general populace toward those who have served time; thus, even if they have marketable skills, they face barriers everywhere in their job searches after release. Under the twin pressures of economic reality and psychological pain, it's easy for them to return to their old "professions."
"In criminology we call this 'labeling.' The more people refuse to accept these people, believing them to be dangerous, the more it becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy as they're forced back into a life of crime. Thus we have recidivism," explains Chang.
To improve the results of skills training and help mitigate the ex-con's dilemma of having a fishing pole but nowhere to fish, the Ministry of Justice is planning to invite private businesses to join together in an effort to counsel inmates on how to rejoin society.
For example, this January, the ministry is partnering with Microsoft Taiwan in spearheading the Digital Phoenix project with the women's prisons in Taoyuan, Taichung and Kaohsiung, in which front-line IT personnel teach computer and Internet skills needed in business.
Wu Shyan-chang points out that recruiting technicians and professionals is only the first step; in the future he expects other businesses willing to help the corrections system to chip in, building a cooperative education system. As such, inmates with good conduct and learning performance will have the opportunity to work with these companies after release, so that they will not become mired in criminality once again from not finding work that matches their skills.
Besides this, those who have served their time or are out on parole can also find job-hunting assistance from the 19 branches of the Taiwan Aftercare Association, or apply for an interest-free business loan from NT$400,000 to NT$1 million, giving them the chance to grow a business using their skills and build a new life.
"Never give up!" says Wu with sincerity. The results of corrections work, whether involving skills training, self-run enterprise or spiritual education, are hard to evaluate from superficial numbers, because helping just one more bad person turn good is a commendable result.
It may be hard for onlookers like you and me to put aside our set views, but we can support inmates and ex-cons by purchasing the products they've painstakingly made. A little more positive acclaim, a little less negative labeling, and perhaps we can help more people regain their confidence and muster the power to walk the straight and narrow path.