It’s important that I make you aware of the flaws and inconsistencies of the Nevada Department of Corrections (NDOC) . Their inability to prepare prisoners for a successful reentry into society has drastically increased the recidivism rates and decreased public safety.
The NDOC fails to rehabilitate prisoners through insufficient, outdated, and unsupported programs that don’t give prisoners the basic financial skills or tools to succeed upon release. There are rehabilitation programs, programs to correct criminal behavior and job skill training, but nothing that’s relevant. What’s being offered is very limited access in scope of these programs. Most training courses are being taught directly out of a book without any hands-on training. There aren’t any mental health programs that discuss past traumas[HS1] or triggers, or opportunities on becoming an entrepreneur from prison. We’re being warehoused, given access to a few classes, but nothing of any real significance, and nothing that’s consistent. They claim to not have the funding, and no one is willing to come to our facilities to train us.
It’s important for the NDOC to enable its prisoners to learn about entrepreneurship, financial literacy, hospitality and tourism, janitorial and OSHA Safety Training, business, forklift operator training, culinary, green technology, heavy equipment operator, and HVAC. They can gain experience in these trades while incarcerated and learn the importance of building business credit. The NDOC could begin this process today by developing a partnership with HUSTLE 2.0.
Hustle 2.0 (www.Hustle20.com) provides a self-directed rehabilitation program that empowers incarcerated people with the necessary tools to lead crime- and drug-free lives, equipping them to be ready for reentry and gainful employment upon release. They help corrections facilities engage program-resistance populations by teaching evidence-based, trauma-informed concepts through fun and relatable case studies, testimonials, humor, and art contributed by people with incarcerated experience. Hustle 2.0 addresses entrepreneurship and an entrepreneur’s mindset, employment readiness, relationships, trauma and healing, well-being, criminal thinking, recovery from addictive behaviors, reentry, and far more. Their program can be completed entirely in-cell with minimal staff involved in implementation. More than 15 state Department of Corrections utilize Hustle 2.0 to engage their close custody and restrictive housing populations in evidence-based programming.
Since 2020, more than 3,500 incarcerated men and women across 431 facilities have completed at least 15 hours of Hustle 2.0 programming. 97% of participants say they gained more value out of Hustle 2.0 than they were expecting, and 87% of their graduates say that Hustle 2.0 is the best program they’ve taken while incarcerated. The NDOC could amplify their program engagement and outcomes with Hustle 2.0. The NDOC could obtain funding through grants and/or having fundraisers at their facilities, allowing prisoners to pay for Hustle 2.0 programming.
Secondly, the NDOC could provide higher pay numbers for all jobs. They are subtracting 10% for the offenders’ savings account (though saving is important for financial success). $550 with 10% for restitution isn’t enough to have a successful reentry into society, leaving the offender with nothing at all, as commissary and food and clothing package prices continue to soar. Additionally, they price gouge prisoners on commissary which is illegal. For example, a 13” flatscreen AMP’d TV is priced at $325, but is $75 max elsewhere. California prisoners have the same package as Nevada prisoners—which is located in Sparks, Nevada (Access Secure Packages). However, Nevada prisoners pay a higher amount per item and aren’t allowed the same catalog as California prisoners. What’s needed is for the NDOC to re-negotiate its contract with Access Secure Packages and possibly negotiate contracts with other package companies who cater to prisoners, such as Union Supply, Golden State, Walkenhurst, and Just Right. In addition to this, the NDOC continues to starve it’s prisoners by not serving an adequate amount of food on its trays in attempts to save money. As hunger strikes loom and grievances pour in, prisoners’ complaints continue to fall on deaf ears.
The NDOC has been dishonest with the communities of Nevada by providing lots of misleading information on their website. Prisoners are not given the opportunity to participate in job skill and vocational training if they’re high school graduates or until they’re three years away from their parole dates. There aren’t any mental health programs, even though people exposed to violence experience the same symptoms as combat veterans. There aren’t any programs for violent offenders to correct the criminal behavior that led to their incarceration. For example, someone incarcerated for robbery, a money-motivated crime should be given access to programs that address robbery and theft, violence, entrepreneurship, financial literacy, and a trade to ensure that they won’t have to rob someone for money in the future. The NDOC holds its offenders back by being unwilling to partner with outside organizations and/or trade unions who could train offenders while they’re incarcerated and hire offenders upon release. They do not partner with Community-based reentry programs or organizations that mentor adult offenders during incarceration, through transition back to the community, and post-release. They do not provide transitional housing services to assist in the reintegration of protective custody inmates and violent offenders, who have been incarcerated back into the community.
Less than 50% of prisoners have support (financial, moral, emotional, family, community, etc.). For these individuals who don’t have support, they’re released back into society with very little to no money. Becoming financially literate and financially stable from prison are equally important. Financial literacy means you must know the difference between an asset and a liability, what you do with the money once you make it, how to keep it longer, and how to make the money work hard for you. It’s the ability to read and understand the language of money and the ability to solve financial problems. A real financial education offers everyone greater control over their financial future. Becoming financially literate gives prisoners the opportunity to enhance their knowledge, help others, and acquire new skills they can use to succeed today and in the future.
This is an excellent way to cut down the recidivism rates and increase public safety while giving felons an opportunity to have a successful reentry into society. The reintroduction of approved vocational and job skill training and some new training courses would be useful. Adding an in-depth computer technology course such as computer networking, Windows II administrator, JavaScript, Python, CCS3 code, JQuery, Raspberry Pi, web design, graphic design, and web development. For offenders housed at Lovelock Correctional Center, these courses would be useful, especially being that there’s already basic courses being offered to include Microsoft Office 365, Microsoft Office 2019, HTML, and AutoCAD. Despite seeking employment at rates higher than the general population, formerly incarcerated individuals are half as likely to get a job because of their incarceration and face unemployment rates five times the national average. In the Google era, a simple web search ensures that no one can every truly escape their past. For the companies who are willing to hire ex-felons, the NDOC doesn’t offer job skill training pertaining to those positions being offered. These individuals are placed back in the same environment, so they’re getting the same results except this time individuals are getting more brazen with their crimes. Out of desperation, these individuals get more violent and will opt out to murdering someone, as opposed to possibly getting caught and identified. This is no longer solely an issue for the offender to be left to figure out on their own, but also a program (an issue?) for the associated community .
People who have been warehoused their entire sentence–who haven’t received any financial education, financial stability, high school diploma or GED, education on entrepreneurship, education to correct criminal thinking, education on goal setting and purposeful living, job skill/vocational training, opportunities to being the credit building process—are going to turn to crime to support themselves and their families. The rising recidivism rates over the years is a validation to the claims. When a convicted felon establishes their own business from prison (having someone operate it from the outside), they can pay off their restitution, take care of their children and families, have funds to pay for parole and probation upon release, can pay for housing, a car, and can earn much more money regardless of their record. They get in the habit of doing something that’s positive and legal, as well as becoming a positive asset to their community. By leading by example and creating jobs, they can say good-bye to taking penitentiary chances forever. The NDOC have been failing both its prisoners and the communities of Nevada for years! Statistically, 75% of ex-felons are rearrested. The best way to avoid this and any future money-motivated crimes is by implementing the key elements already discussed within this essay. Additionally, NDOC should provide secure housing for up to 6 to 12 months. They should also provide stable and meaningful employment in a career that they are passionate about, community-based reentry programming, mental and physical health care, family services, and mentorship from organizations who mentor offenders through transition back to the community, and post-release. They could (should?) also require (or promote?) community service (offender volunteering 576 hours a year of the duration of their parole), These services are needed, aren’t being offered, but would stabilize offenders and give them an opportunity to get familiar with the community and its members. Their obstacle is not having been in prison, but their lack of marketable skills and their work ethic. The more they know, the more they are worth.
Statistics have also shown that prison can do a lot of damage to your credit, which is why it takes work to bounce back. First, when an offender gets locked up, the bills likely stop getting paid. Making a credit comeback should be top of mind for prisoners about to get out because good credit is key to renting an apartment, getting affordable car insurance, and securing an auto or other loans down the road. The best investment a prisoner can make is in themselves, especially in learning.Plus, its’ the one thing that can’t be taken from them. Prison is the best time to learn. There is NO reason to wait until they get out of prison to start doing these things.
As prisoners, our voices have been diminished while your voice carries much more weight. It is my hope that every individual who reads my essay can raise awareness by their actions and words and prompting private and public conversations around the often-ignored issue of reducing recidivism and increasing public safety in Nevada. I continue to raise awareness of these systematic issues through my journalism. Thank you in advance for your time, and please share this essay on your social media platforms.
My desired outcome of this essay is to amass 100,000 individuals to share it on their social media platforms. For me, success isn’t only about reaching that target amount. It’s about sparking a conversation, raising awareness, and getting these issues onto the public and decision makers’ agenda.
www.change.org/HelpTyreallReduceRecividismInNevada
#HelpTyreallReduceRecividismInNevada#NDOC
[HS1]Personal preference to not have slashes like this in professional writing.
No Comments