Research indicates that meditation-based programs can be rehabilitative for incarcerated populations. Specifically, these programs can help promote positive well-being, reduce recidivism, and help with relapse. This article reviews the effectiveness of existing research on meditation-based programs in correctional populations. The results of…

This paper examines schooling inside a youth prison. We draw on interview and observation data from a study of a youth prison school to understand the practices and tensions of schooling in a juvenile incarceration facility. We describe the processes of schooling in the facility with an eye towards understanding both the conditions of learning and…

This case study of the Therapeutic Community Program at Montana Women's Prison investigates the relationship between inmate reading levels and the self-help materials used for rehabilitative purposes within prison settings. The Therapeutic Community Handbook, published by the Montana Department of Corrections, is used as the primary method of…

Effective correctional rehabilitation programs include a technique that influences the offender's thinking. Sociological explanations of crime offer few practical suggestions for crime prevention or offender rehabilitation, but the cognitive model suggests that prevention and rehabilitation can be engendered through education. (JOW)

This project reviewed and critiqued educational and employment programs to assist exoffenders' reentry to the community. Chief criticisms include lack of followup studies; lack of relevance to life "outside"; and inaccurate, inconsistent, and unreliable research. (SK)

An evaluation of the Student Transition Education and Employment Program found that it reduces recidivism rates for previously incarcerated youth and is cost effective. Program objectives were to deliver a more effective after-care service, enable youth to obtain a high school diploma, and allow participants to give something back to the…

In this article, the author, Program Administrator of the Pinellas County Sheriff's Office (PCSO) Project New Attitudes in Clearwater, Florida, describes the project. The PCSO is the country's largest law enforcement agency, providing law enforcement services to over 400,000 of its residents who reside in the unincorporated areas of the county and…

In this article, the author describes the Lifeskills for Women program of the Shelby County Division of Corrections (Memphis, Tennessee). The program offers strategies and approaches to reversing faulty cognitive systems and behavioral patterns of incarcerated women preparing for community reentry. First implemented in 1997, and subsequently…

Moderate physical activity provides substantial health benefits for individuals not only in fitness, athletic, and health organizations, but also for individuals who struggle with addictions and behaviors in correctional programs. The purpose of this pilot study is to examine the relationship between physical activity and offender attitudes. The…

Since 1990, the literature has shown that prisoners who attend educational programs while they are incarcerated are less likely to return to prison following their release. Studies in several states have indicated that recidivism rates have declined where inmates have received an appropriate education. Furthermore, the right kind of educational…