Biggest problem with program right now is the individuals that are in there...more people in for Pot, than Opiate based drugs... Regardless of the "theory" that marajuana is a gateway drug, the ephasis should be on those that are actual addicts. Either they are trying to skew the numbers (so higher preportion don't reoffend), or they are hoping curb future drug behavior. RECAP should be limited (or higest emphasis)placed on those actually "addicted" to drugs and alcohol, not ones that might be later on. Pot isnt addictive. When there are burgluries, thefts, overdoses everyday in the crime section, that is where the ephasis should be. Take into consideration that to house an inmate, it costs between $50-$100 a day, spread across all taxpayers of WI. The average junkie uses between $50-$200 a day of drugs, paid for by crimes against taxpaying individuals. At the very least, RECAP benefits Rock County by giving individauls a "last chance" before prison, also it takes a junkie off the street for several months preventing crimes for that time period.

Now, what does Sigma 40 mean?

Sigma40: RECAP stands for Rock County Education and Criminal Addictions Program. The full name was in the introductory paragraph to this blog post but not in the post itself.
Greg Peck

During 2007, a total of 1,180,469 persons on parole were at-risk of reincarceration. This includes persons under parole supervision on January 1 or those entering parole during the year. Of these parolees, about 16% were returned to incarceration in 2007.
Among nearly 300,000 prisoners released in 15 states in 1994, 67.5% were rearrested within 3 years. A study of prisoners released in 1983 estimated 62.5%.
Of the 272,111 persons released from prisons in 15 states in 1994, an estimated 67.5% were rearrested for a felony or serious misdemeanor within 3 years, 46.9% were reconvicted, and 25.4% resentenced to prison for a new crime.
These offenders had accumulated 4.1 million arrest charges before their most recent imprisonment and another 744,000 charges within 3 years of release.
Released prisoners with the highest rearrest rates were robbers (70.2%), burglars (74.0%), larcenists (74.6%), motor vehicle thieves (78.8%), those in prison for possessing or selling stolen property (77.4%), and those in prison for possessing, using, or selling illegal weapons (70.2%).
Within 3 years, 2.5% of released rapists were arrested for another rape, and 1.2% of those who had served time for homicide were arrested for homicide.

This was taken right from the Bureau of Justice Statistics website

http://www.bjs.gov/index.cfm?ty=tp&t...

Prison recidivism rates are way higher than the 43% of RECAP graduates reoffending rate and I believe the average prison sentence is quite a bit longer than the RECAP program which on average is about 7 months. So how would it not save tax payers money to fund a program that costs less, is shorter in time, rehabilitates an individual more than a concrete box would, and helps by not sending more people to an already under staffed, over crowded prison system?

mpcass,

There is no data giving evidence that those who go through RECAP are any less likely to offend again than someone that serves their normal prison term. There is no evidence that court costs will be saved.

I think RECAP is an amazing program. Sure the facts aren't always advertised via media, but lets take a look at the stats that we do have. 43% of RECAP graduates from 2010 reoffended right? Leaving 57% that did not reoffend or have not to this day. Let me explain first off, the program is an alternative to prison and for most their last chance before entering the penal system. These people are the ones out there in the public committing crimes like armed robbery, substantial battery, violent crimes, etc. Most of their crimes deal with a real human victim being on the receiving end of their bad decisions. If you think for one moment that having a success rate of 57% where there are 57% percent less victims, 57% less violent offenders out in the public reoffending is a joke, you're wrong. Tax dollars are actually saved via not spending them on the court systems re-sentencing these inmates again and sending them off to prison where funny; don't our tax dollars pay for that stay too? Besides the fact that for some of these graduates, this is the first time in their ENTIRE life they actually got the feeling of accomplishment. I would rather spend my tax dollars truly rehabilitating half of these violent offenders through a program like this, versus sending them off to prison on my dollar and having them re-enter society worse off and with no education like they acquire here.

It would be a lot cheaper to just stop putting people in a cage for non-violent drug crimes.

You can't call a program a success just because a little over half that pass the program aren't convicted of a crime again. You need to compare the results with those of people who don't go through the RECAP program to see if there is any significant difference in outcome.

The "benefit" of RECAP?! Ha - what a joke!

RECAP gives a handful of people (particularly those who are employed by or associated with the program) the ILLUSION of doing something, whether or not these efforts have any positive effect whatsoever.

With nearly 25 years of program history and no demonstrable, statistically significant positive numbers to support it's basic goal, it is virtually a complete waste of taxpayer-funded staff time and resources - really little more than a faith-based, PR pipe-dream that continues running only on fumes and a handful of anecdotal "evidence."

It's well past time to pull the plug on this quarter-century social programing FAILURE - just like that other big, flagship, feel-good, failure (which likely influenced the participants to dabble in drugs more than reduce there use), the DARE program (at its near-peak, a $750,000 industry for those entities who owned the license rights to all it's trade-marked promotional item sales!).

Q: If RECAP was a private concern and was able to demonstrate no more than the dismal performance numbers that it indeed does, would anyone actually invest their own money in the program?
A: Rhetorical question! (Only the tragic magic of forced taxation keeps this frozen supermarket turkey in the air.)

Recidivism is explained by the fact that over 90% of all prisoners are christians. It's not that they got christianity from being prison, it's the other way around -it's something about christianity that keeps christians returning to prison. Recidivism is explained by the a mechanism best described as: sin-then-pray-for-forgiveness-get-forgiveness-then-sin-again. ad infinitum.

What other explanation can there be? What's wrong with maturity including the facing of the fact that you should never be forgiven for mistreating others. Note that when Jesus does all this forgiving, the victims are never consulted. Why should an unvictimized third party (Jesus) let people psychologically off the hook while the victim continues to suffer from the criminal behavior of the forgiven?

For ten years now we have had the pleasure of working with hundreds of RECAP workers, and not once have we had a bad experience. If you want to see what it is all about, give a call and you will understand that this is a working program and not just anyone gets into the program. There is much more involved with the program than just getting out of jail to work in the community. We do not use RECAP workers because it is free (last year we spent over $2,000 on food and transportation) we do it because it gives these young fellows a chance to grow.

There should be recidivism annual reports as a form of accountability. That being said, all you would have is a statistical measurement of people who have been 'caught' committing crimes. I'm familiar with RECAP and think that it is a positive intervention into the lives of a high risk population. If he Gazette does a followup report I'm confident that they will find many individuals who have had their lives positively influenced by this program. How do you put a $$$ value on an individual who is enabled to become a contributing member of society? A better father, a better husband, a better employee, a better person etc. RECAP often demonstrates an alternative lifestyle for many of it's participants. As simplistic as it sounds a person needs to know a different way of life before he/she can choose a different way of life. I think the importance of not giving up on a person can not be underestimated. If the program positively changes 10% of it's participants how do we estimate the $$$ value to society?

42% recidivism versus what % for those who don't complete the program? That would be a clearer look. I've seen RECAP members helping at events around town and it seems to be a good thing! All I've encountered have been polite and helpful. An honest hard day's work never hurt anybody, I think!

What is RECAP?