RESTON, Va., April 16, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- The following
is by Dr. Turner Nashe, Jr., Senior
Vice President of Education Services at GTL:
Prison reform discussions include many topics, but one of the
key components centers around lowering recidivism rates and the
question of whether education and rehabilitation programs really
have a positive impact on inmates. Studies have repeatedly shown
that increasing education initiatives within prisons leads to lower
recidivism rates, saving taxpayers millions of dollars. The RAND
Corporation found that for every dollar spent on education, between
four and five dollars are saved
because of lower reincarceration costs.
A National Institute of Justice study reported that more than
67% of released prisoners are rearrested within three years of
their release. The cycle of arrest, incarceration, and release is
very costly for the taxpayer. Fortunately, there are solutions for
providing inmate education and reducing reincarceration costs.
GTL's inmate tablet technology has stood out as a leading
solution for increasing rehabilitation and security and reducing
recidivism rates nationwide. Tablets provide educational tools to
inmates in a more efficient, effective, and secure manner. GTL's
Inspire inmate tablets provide a learning management system, over
165 thousand pieces of educational content, educational videos,
access to a law library, eBooks, and much more. When used in tandem
with programs at the state and local level, tablets can make a real
difference in inmates' lives.
For example, Idaho state
lawmakers passed the Justice Reinvestment Act in 2014, which
invested money into rehabilitation programs for inmates instead of
building new prisons. The Free2Succeed program was also
implemented, pairing newly released parolees with community mentors
who offered support and guidance. When the program began, the
recidivism rate for prisoners was 35%. In 2017, the state found
that the recidivism rate for inmates matched with a mentor was
about 4%. This proves that education and rehabilitation programs
workâand they work well.
Simply put, the cost of education and rehabilitation programs is
far less than the cost of imprisoning inmates. While these
initiatives mean investing in inmates, giving inmate the knowledge
and tools to become motivated members of society in their lives
outside of a correctional facility's walls pays back several times
over. It's a situation that benefits everyone and an investment
worth making.
Dr. Turner Nashe, Jr. is an
entrepreneur, inventor, innovator, and recognized leader in
building technology that facilitates delivery of educational and
entertainment content to security sensitive industries such as
correctional facilities, hospitals, and schools. His inventions
have created innovative solutions for emerging eco-systems that are
revolutionizing traditional approaches to the delivery of
educational content within secure facilities. Dr. Nashe holds an
Ed.D. in Administration and Supervision from Tennessee State University and a B.S. in Psychology
from John Carroll University.
Press Contact:
Vinnie Mascarenhas
703-955-3894
vinnie.mascarenhas@gtl.net
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SOURCE GTL