New York State politicians and the head of New York State Department of Corrections and Community
Supervision are looking to save money by proposing the closing of five or six mostly minimum and medium
security prisons. They determined, after doing some homework, that prisons often do not have a
rehabilitative effect on inmates, based on nationwide re-arrest rates within three years of discharge at 68
percent. Discuss in detail what the current research has to say on this issue and what, if any, individual and
system level changes in prison and parole needs to be implemented to ensure the successful transition of
inmates back into the community.
Sample Solution