Mediated Communication #4

I was searching for an article for my 4th Mediated Communication post.  I read several articles but didn’t find anything that peeked my interest.  Then I came across an article on immigration on the Al Jazeera website; “For some migrants, a familiar journey from the desert to detention.”  Immigration is a very complicated topic.  On the one hand you have the law and those who are breaking it.  You have fears over what else is coming across the border; ie drugs, disease, violence, etc.  On the other hand you have people just trying to find a better life, children, compassion and humanity.  I think everyone agrees with one thing, something must be done, but that something is the debate.  I was surprised to learn that illegal immigration is at a 40-year low, partially due to a controversial zero-tolerance Border Patrol policy known as Operation Streamline.  This policy involved mass hearings and legal consequences from jail time to a criminal record that can prevent legal residency or entry for 10 years or more.  This policy has dropped recidivism rates to all time lows.  I found this article to be well researched and well written.  It contained many points of view along with statistics from many sources.  It is a fascinating look into the illegal immigration problem and measures that are being taken in response to this problem.  

Mediated Communication #3 - “Seattle to celebrate Indigenous Peoples’ Day on Columbus holiday”.

I heard part of a story on a news station the other day about Seattle, Washington changing Columbus Day holiday to Indigenous Peoples’ Day.  The story intrigued me and I wanted to know more so I went in search of the story.  I found an article on Al Jazeera entitled “Seattle to celebrate Indigenous Peoples’ Day on Columbus holiday”.  I read the article several times.  It is a very interesting idea to celebrate this holiday and dedicate it to the indigenous people who were here long before Christopher Columbus ever learned how to sail a boat.  I think it is only fitting that we celebrate the people who survived and thrived here long before anyone ‘discovered’ this land.  Apparently, this is also being done elsewhere such as; Bellingham, Washington that celebrates Coast Salish Day, Minneapolis celebrates Indigenous Peoples’  Day, and South Dakota which celebrates Native American Day.  I found myself in agreement with this idea and irritated by the Italian-American’s who feel disrespected by this action.  The Italian-American’s feel that “America wouldn’t be America without Christopher Columbus”.  I don’t know about that but I do know that there were already many groups of people living on this continent when Mr. Columbus discovered it and I think they deserve recognition.  I thought the article was well written and it explored ideas and asked questions I hadn’t thought of, which always makes for interesting reading.

Opposition Constructive - Incarceration is not the answer to drug addiction.

Opposition Constructive - Incarceration is not the answer to drug addiction.

A perception has endured over time that “nothing works” in prison rehabilitation. Yet, research by psychologists and others shows that treating prisoners’ substance abuse problems during and after incarceration can lead to major reductions in recidivism.

The United States has less than 5% of the world’s population and we consume two-thirds of the world’s illegal drugs and incarcerate almost a quarter of the world’s prisoners, more than 8 of 10 of whom have some substance involvement.  Incarceration alone is not the answer to drug addiction.  We need to address the treatment needs of offenders while holding them accountable for their crimes.   Research published in the 1990’s by psychologist Dr. Harry K. Wexler, a leader in prison reform, found that prison-based substance abuse is effective – if combined with aftercare – and leads to major reductions in recidivism. For example, his 1999 study involving 478 prisoners at a state prison near San Diego, California found that after three years, only 27 percent of the prisoners involved the prison's drug treatment program with aftercare returned to prison, compared to a recidivism rate of 75 percent for those not involved in the treatment program.  Research has repeatedly shown that investment in treatment is valuable and, furthermore, produces better outcomes with more cost-effectiveness than incarceration alone. The Justice Policy Institute reported that if an individual receives treatment while incarcerated, there is, on average, an estimated benefit of $1.91 to $2.69 for every $1 invested in prison programs.

For over twenty years, the Federal Bureau of Prisons substance abuse treatment strategy has made a significant difference in the lives of inmates, their families, and their communities.  The Bureau's drug abuse treatment strategy has grown and changed as advances have occurred in substance treatment programs.  There are several levels of drug treatment available according to the needs of the offenders.  The Nonresidential Drug Abuse Treatment includes a 12-week, Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT) treatment program is conducted primarily in a group setting.  Residential Drug Abuse Program (RDAP) is the Bureau’s most intensive treatment program. CBT is used in a modified therapeutic community model where offenders experience living in a pro-social community. Offenders live in a unit separate from general population; they participate in half-day programming and half-day work, school, or vocational activities. RDAP is typically nine months in duration.  Community Treatment Services (CTS)provides continuity of care for offenders placed in Residential Reentry Centers (RRCs) and on Home Confinement. Research has found this period to be the most vulnerable time for an offender to relapse into substance use and/or criminal behavior. Research also demonstrates continued treatment and supervision is an essential element to the offender's treatment and success.  CTS provides a comprehensive network of contracted community-based treatment providers in all 50 states, three U.S. Territories and the District of Columbia. The network of professionals consists of licensed individuals (e.g. certified addictions counselors, psychologists, psychiatrists, social workers, professional counselors, medical doctors, certified sex offender therapists, etc.) and specialized agencies resulting in a variety of services available in the community.  

A study by research scientist Steven S. Martin involving inmates in the Delaware Correctional System also highlights the value of treating prisoners for substance abuse problems during and after incarceration. The Delaware program featured a continuum of care in which some inmates transitioned back into the community through a work-release program involving therapeutic communities (TC) - drug-free residential settings which feature continuous monitoring by counselors, group therapy and family sessions. Dr. Martin found that after one year, a significantly higher percentage of inmates who had participated in any aspect of the program were drug free and arrest free than those assigned to the usual work release program. And after three years, those who had continued with the TC aftercare had significantly less drug use and re-arrests than those who dropped out of the program.

Experimental psychologist D. Dwayne Simpson, Ph.D., of the Institute of Behavioral Research at Texas Christian University analyzed the results of research by Drs. Wexler, Martin and others for special issues of the Prison Journal in 1999 and found drastic effects of such treatment programs. In a combined sample of 1,461 inmates from California, Texas and Delaware, about a quarter of those who took part in intensive drug treatment programs and aftercare ended up back in prison compared with about three-quarters of those who received no treatment in prison or those that received treatment in prison but no treatment after being released.

Rigorous analysis of these programs by the Bureau of Prisons and the National Institute on Drug Abuse shows these programs make a significant positive difference in the lives of inmates following their release from prison, as they are substantially less likely to use drugs or to be rearrested, compared to other inmates who did not participate in the treatment programs.

“We do not as a nation refuse to provide treatment for other chronic ailments like heart disease or diabetes. We should do so for addictive disorders, especially when the added benefits of treatment for offenders include significant reductions in crime and its costs to society.”  Incarceration alone is not the answer to drug addiction.  We need to address the treatment needs of offenders while holding them accountable for their crimes.

Mediated Communication #2 - Germans join 'War on Christmas' - per-Christmas commercialism, that is.

Germans-join-War-on-Christmas-pre-Christmas-commercialism-that-is

I was wandering through the Christian Science Monitor website and came across an article titled, “Germans join 'War on Christmas' – pre-Christmas commercialism, that is”.  Since Christmas is my favorite holiday, this article caught my eye.  I have been involved in the local Christmas festival, the Jubilee of Trees, for about 10 years which has made me sensitive to public opinion on the subject of Christmas.  I felt this article was pertinent as we approach another Christmas season.

I have listened for years to other people complain about how early Christmas items start showing up in stores.  I was amazed that they are having the same problem in Germany.  The German people, for the most part, feel that the Christmas season should start with Advent, which is the four week prior to Christmas.  Half of those surveyed say the early display of Christmas commercialism erodes the meaning of Christmas. A majority of the people want the government to step in and say no selling of Christmas items before this time.  The German constitution projects Sunday’s as a day of rest.  This law is also being challenged by commercialism.  But when the German capital moved to allow stores to open on all four Advent Sundays a few years ago, churches, backed by labor unions, fought back, taking their case all the way to the Supreme Court. They won. The highest court, ruling that Sundays had to remain days of rest and "spiritual elevation," overturned the Berlin law in 2009.  I was amazed by the resolve of the German people in protecting their Christmas traditions.  

The article was short, but informative.  I felt like the author did a good job with her research and reasoning.  She used several sources for her information including a recent survey of German citizens, historical facts about the traditional celebration of Christmas in Germany, personal childhood experiences, and historical decisions, in regards to Sunday Christmas shopping, made by the German Supreme Court.