It has been a while since I have written this blog. Not that there isn't anything to say. I have been challenged by the ups and downs of working with people. Those of us in ministry understand that we do the best we can but the end product is out of our control because we work with people, and God knows, that people can sometimes, even though they have been given every opportunity to succeed, chose poorly and end up in a mess. Two men that I have been very involved with over the past 6 months have been struggling, one has been returned to prison and the other relapsed with drugs and is in danger of breaching probation.
Someone asked me recently, after hearing that many people who are released from prison re-offend and are re-arrested: "Why would someone who has been in prison go back?" The truth is that life for someone coming out of prison offers incredibly difficult challenges. As I observe the process, it is surprising that any do succeed- but they do!
Factors that contribute to success:
Hope
Family support
Education
Employment
Housing
Supportive faith community
Age
Busyness
Factors that contribute to recidivism:
Substance use
Loneliness and isolation
Financial hardship
Under-treated mental health issues
Frustration with bureaucracy and accessing services
Homelessness
Poor selection of friends
Boredom
No comments:
Post a Comment