How Do Rehabilitation Programmes Help Prevent Former Prisoners from Committing Crimes?

Recent studies show that nearly two out of three released prisoners reoffend within three years of release (Bureau of Justice Statistics, 2018). This high rate of reoffending is often linked to the poor conditions within traditional prison systems, which tend to focus more on punishment than on addressing the causes of criminal behaviour.

Rehabilitation, on the other hand, focuses on helping offenders change the behaviours, skills, and circumstances that contributed to their crimes. This is achieved through education-based programmes, mental-health support, therapy, drug treatment, and behaviour-control training, enabling offenders to reintegrate safely and productively into society.

The Role of Education in Reducing Reoffending

One major way rehabilitation reduces reoffending is through quality education. For example, Bollate Prison in Italy provides inmates with education in English, computer skills, and vocational training such as carpentry, welding, and cooking (Mastrobuoni & Terlizzese, 2016).

These programmes help inmates focus on positive life goals and gain employable skills. With access to legal employment after release, former prisoners are less likely to rely on theft or other criminal activities to survive. As a result, education plays a key role in lowering recidivism rates.

Addressing Mental Health and Substance Abuse

Rehabilitation programmes that include mental-health sessions and therapy help address the root causes of criminal behaviour. Statistics from Study.com indicate that approximately 80% of inmates use drugs before and during incarceration, which damages decision-making abilities and increases the likelihood of criminal actions.

Additionally, many crimes are linked to untreated mental illnesses. Traditional prisons often fail to address these issues, meaning offenders are released without resolving the factors that led them to commit crimes. Rehabilitation programmes counter this by offering drug-treatment programmes and psychological therapy, reducing the likelihood of reoffending.

Behaviour-Control Programmes and Self-Control

Behaviour-control training is another effective rehabilitation strategy. Research shows that rehabilitation programmes with behaviour-control components reduce reoffending by 25–30% compared to standard incarceration (Landenberger & Lipsey, 2005).

These programmes help inmates develop emotional regulation and self-control. According to Michael (1990), individuals with low self-control are significantly more likely to engage in theft, violent crime, and drug use. By addressing low self-control, rehabilitation reduces a major cause of criminal behaviour.

Conclusion

By prioritising rehabilitation programmes such as education, therapy, drug treatment, and behaviour-control training, societies can reduce reoffending and support the reintegration of former prisoners. Rather than releasing unrehabilitated individuals who place a heavy burden on public resources, rehabilitation helps create law-abiding, productive citizens, benefiting both individuals and society as a whole.