Why is the criminal rehabilitation program in the United States such a joke?

[g5000]

Is our recidivism rate higher or lower than other countries?

Why is it higher or lower?

Let's get some facts instead of airing our personal biases and opinions.

 

[g5000]

http://www.audit-scotland.gov.uk/docs/central/2012/nr_121107_reducing_reoffending__supp_sccjr.pdf

 

[g5000]

http://www.salve.edu/sites/default/files/filesfield/documents/Incarceration_and_Recidivism.pdf

Difficulties with comparison aside, the recidivism rates in other countries, even on the high end, reveal an interesting truth-recidivism does not have a significant impact on their prison population rates. Unfortunately, this does not hold true for the United States, most likely because Americans are imprisoned for crimes that may not lead to prison sentences in other countries such as passing bad checks, minor drug offenses, and other non-violent crimes. Also, prisoners in the United States are often incarcerated for a lot longer than in other countries. For instance, burglars in the United States serve an average of 16 months in prison compared with 5 months in Canada and 7 months in England.2 With an emphasis on punishment rather than rehabilitation, U.S. prisoners are often released with no better skills to cope in society and are offered little support after their release, increasing the chances of reoffending.