An Attempt at Changing Behavior

According to the Memphis Flyer, the SCSO is trying to help thugs become honest, hard-working citizens. Good luck! Here's an excerpt to the article:

Article

Currently, services such as basic education, drug-abuse programs, and anger management are offered, but attendance is voluntary.

The test program will break selected medium-security-level inmates into three groups. The first group will serve as the control group, and though services won't be mandatory, they will be marketed more heavily.

Inmates in the second group will receive a case manager who will assess their individual needs and assign them to applicable services.

"The case manager will even work with inmates post-release to prevent them from reverting back to old behavior," said Sybille Noble, the current project manager.

The third group will mirror the second group, but they will receive additional services in literacy training provided by faculty from the University of Memphis.


I'd say the biggest factor is whether or not these people go back to the same environment they came from and continue to "hang" with the same thugs they hung with before going to jail. I wonder if they are looking into that as well. Call me skeptical, but I don't hold out a lot of hope on this. I hope it works, but I think factors besides education and employment drive the crimes. Even so, it's worth a try.