Of all the nations, the United States has the highest rate of incarceration, far surpassing third world countries in its zeal to lock people up.  Recidivism (parolees returning to jail) rates in state prisons is an ongoing phenomenon.  A perfect example is the New Hampshire State Prison maintaining a recidivism rate of 86 percent.   Of that figure, 24 percent are returned for new charges (crimes committed while on parole).  The remaining 62 percent are returned for “violations,” usually involving relapse into the use of alcohol and drugs.

Currently those who return to New Hampshire State Prison on a violation charge serve six months to a year of  their sentences, are assigned to attend a thirty-hour Substance Abuse Program, offered through the Mental Health Unit.  The “Programming,” consisted of various videos and handouts based on the disease model of the American Medical Association and Enlightenment Support group.  Attendance to this program was and is mandatory for those who commit a crime while in connection or under the influence of drug and/or alcohol.  The penalty for not attending this mandatory program is denial of parole (conditional freedom).  Of equal weight, in terms of progress to freedom, is mandatory attendance of Enlightenment Support group meetings.

Compounding the irrational recovery process; when an inmate returns for such a violation, he is permitted to sign a waiver exam for the Substance Abuse Program.  This waiver, a synopsis of the original program, tests the inmates’ knowledge of the disease theory of chemical dependency.  To understand how primitive and ineffective the addiction programming is, one must be here and watch.  I shake my head in amazement as I write these words: A waiver of programming and mandatory Alcoholics Anonymous and Narcotics Anonymous meetings as the only source of support and guidance for the parole violator — the 62 percent who relapse.

Researched performed during my current graduate practicum at the New Hampshire State Prison shows that the average age of early stage alcohol and/or drug abuse for the inmate was 12 years young, with the average current age of an inmate in New Hampshire State Prison, 33 years old.  This makes the average length of substance abuse for the average inmate behind the walls of New Hampshire State Prison to be 21 years of irrational dysfunction.  Twenty one years of experience in the use, abuse, and addiction to a mind and mood altering substances.  It is ludicrous to maintain, let alone contend that an inmate will learn (acquire the skills) something new in 30 hours of programming based on the disease model of addiction.  (I know this to be true for I led the 30 hour Substance Abuse Program and personally signed off on several inmates and facilitated hundreds and thier requirement for AODA programming {added).

Those who are in the programs are there because they committed their offenses while under the influence or connection with alcohol and/or drugs; thus primary prevention is not an issue.  Secondary prevention to substance abuse is accomplished by the controlled environment, i.e., abstinence (to a degree).  However, relapse does occur while in prison.

Reflecting on the statement of Mark Twain about his numerous relapse to smoking, the problem is staying quit — the issue of personal control.  While the current system does help those who desire the structure and spiritual transcendence of Alcoholics Anonymous and Narcotics Anonymous, there are many like myself who find such programming useless and disabling.  To believe that one approach will work for all is a folly.  To believe the AA/NA is helping very many is simply mistaken.

Dr. Albert Ellis’ Rational Emotive Therapy as applied to groups is a model alternative to the “waiver” of programming for those who are in violation of their parole.

New Hampshire State Prison now offers (due to my graduate work) an eleven-week, 60-hour Preventing Relapse workshop.  This program is for those inmates who would like to enroll (self-referral, personal choice), and for those who understand that regardless of the “disease” or “psychosocial” theories of addiction (e.g., Enlightenment, Moral, Medical, and Compensatory Models), the control is abstinence from substance abuse.  The workshop is based on Dr. Ellis’ applications of Rational-Emotive Therapy for substance abusers.  The workshop is in its pioneering stage; the first group begins on June 15, 1992.  I am excited about its applications and confident of its success.  The response is exciting, with the initial enrollment filled within two days of its offering.  This course follows the cognitive-behavioral theory of addiction, focusing on the belief systems of the abuser.  In support of these noel programs (later I introduced a 60 hour Addictive Behavior Program and the Select Emotional Alternatives skills approach group added) to the general population at the New Hampshire State Prison, I am happy to announce that Rational Recovery is currently pioneering its first group.  As the Coordinator of New Hampshire State Prison’s Rational Recovery group, I must say the task has not been an easy one.  The process is not complete, but persistence continues to pay off.

A system is only is good as the members who make the system.  It has been my experience that incarceration can help in some ways. (I know of nowhere, except the armed forces, that an individual can leave behind their past trials and errors and regroup their lives).  Many have found a sense of self and have defeated irrational ideas that have ruled them in the past.  In prison you cannot hide from yourself, you cannot throw up the distractions of life at whim when life’s troubles hit.  Whatever change happens to the person while behind the walls, happens on the inside.  While doing time and inmate can either wallow in guilt and shame, feel frustration and rage, or develop self-enlightenment in forgiveness of self and others.  Based on the premise that change is possible, it is imperative that the inmate populations be educated in the ways of emotions, and how one’s experience are regulated by one’s attitudes and beliefs.

But the inmate population is not all there is to the prison system.  Inmate populations are watched over by guards.  Prison guards are a varied group.  Many have attitudes toward the population, others work for a paycheck, and many are fulfilling some sense of personality void.  Until the system of “corrections” in this country develops to where those who manage have understanding for those they manage, recidivism in this country will remain high, tombstone legislature will prevail, and the United States will remain bogged down in its so-called “war” on addictions/drugs.

NOTE
This article appeared in the Journal of Rational Recovery (Vol. 4, Iss. 6, 1992) and was rewritten with the approval of its author.

Tags: incarceration, primary prevention, state prison, Substance Abuse