Life Skills Project: Jacquelyn Scruggs

Journal of Correctional Education, Jun 2005 by Scruggs, Jacquelyn

A partnership between U. S. Department of Education, Shelby County Division of Corrections, & Women in Community Service

A problem is flourishing in America! More and more women are becoming involved with the criminal justice system. Women are being arrested and going to prison. The causes are systemic and multiple and the issues are complex. Some theorists contend that the increase is linked to the lack of opportunity to achieve desired goals. Others contend that gender, race, and class are interlocking forms of oppression in a patriarchal society which creates an incubator for conflicting behavior. Crowing addictions to drugs, mandatory arrests policies in the areas of domestic violence and drug offenses, and family patterns of physical and emotional abuse also explain the dramatic increase. At Shelby County Division of Corrections (SCDC) in Memphis, Tennessee the female population increase grows steadily, keeping pace with the national evolution of female offenders. In Shelby County, a 300% increase in female offenders was recorded between 1992 and 2002. Recidivism (return to incarceration at SCDC) is 70% within one year of release. Research purports that gender matters in the forces that catapult women into criminal behavior and for this reason gender-responsive programming is essential to address the unique needs, barriers and learning and relationship styles. An alarming number of female offenders - at least 75% - have minor children who are likely to follow their mothers in a life of crime. The costs to society are astronomical as children are at risk for environmental instability, neglect, truancy, gang involvement, early pregnancy, academic challenges and poverty. The economic burden on society gives reason to invest in prevention and intervention responses to decrease female criminality. Yearly costs incurred by the community include the cost of incarceration ($15,136); public assistance ($9,240); street crimes (est. $1,000,000,000); drug treatment ($6,000); probation and parole supervision ($1,098) (Figures taken from the Shelby County Divisions of Corrections 1998 Financial Report, Tennessee Department of Human Services, and the Tennessee Department of Corrections).

Recognizing the problem and ready to respond, Shelby County Division of Corrections and Women in Community Service (WICS) answered a call by the United States Department of Education in 1997. A gender-specific program founded in researched methodology was developed and funded as one of thirteen national grantees and the sole female gender project. The WICS program was noted for its impressive impact in reducing recidivism (only 21% of the women released returned to SCDC after one year compared 70% for those not participating in the program) led to project refinements and subsequent funding in 2000 for which this retrospective account is shared.

Through collaboration, a community service organization and a justice agency united resources, knowledge, and skills. As the grantee, Shelby County Division of Corrections provided program participants, technical assistance, oversight and evaluation under the leadership of an outside evaluator, while the sub-grantee, Women in Community Service delivered direct pre-release and post-release service. Established in 1819, Shelby County Division of Corrections is recognized for its mission to encourage the rehabilitative process through programming and providing an opportunity for a more productive life upon release tapped into the strengths of a community based organization. Maximum bed space for male and female offenders is 3600 and approximately 12,000 inmates are processed into the division each year with an average sentence of four years. Since 1964, Women in Community Service, a national nonprofit, has been guided by its mission to reduce the number of women and youth living in poverty by promoting self-reliance and economic independence and has offered many programmatic benefits. WICS is strong as a direct link to communities where releasees return; WlCS has the infrastructure most suited for post-release intervention; WICS delivers gender-responsive programming and is strong in partnership building that is necessary for addressing diverse and multiple human needs.

Lifeskills for Women at Shelby County Division of Corrections offers strategies and approaches to reversing faulty cognitive systems and behavioral patterns of incarcerated women preparing for community reentry. Under the 2000-2003 contractual service period 182 women successfully completed the program. Seventy-six percent were African American. 24% were Caucasian. 48% percent of all participants were without high school completion requirements. 67% were unemployed at the time of their arrest. 91% percent were over age 35, 295 between ages 31-35, 45% were ages 26-30, and 42% were between ages 19-25.

Program Participants within one year of release and medium or below security levels were assisted with discovering their greatest asset, themselves. Researched and demonstrated methods that promote physical, emotional, intellectual, and spiritual wholeness are presented by informed program facilitators. Combined staff for both partners working together consisted of 10% allocation of time for a department administrator, program supervisor, and national vice president. Other staff with a 100% assignment were a senior program director, training specialist, community relations specialist, case manager, and employment specialist. Staffing was adequate to deliver all elements of the project and achieve performance goals.