Introduction
Reducing recidivism rates in prisons can be achieved by adopting alternative rehabilitation and treatment methods, such as yoga, meditation, and mindfulness. However, the effectiveness of these approaches remains dubious without thorough consideration. At present, it is clear that the specified solutions correspond to the definition of evidence-based correctional practices. According to Gideon and Sung (2011), they comply with the conditions, including the presence of “a distinct conceptual framework,” tests “by independent and rigorous evaluation research,” and “consistent patterns of positive results” (p. 71). This fact allows continuing the assessment of the specified methods since they are sufficiently underpinned both by theory and practice.
Reducing Recidivism Rates
The proposed research is intended to compare the available data on the subject for making conclusions in several aspects, namely, the population which is to benefit from this project and its overall effects on them. The previously published studies confirm that even short-term interventions of this nature provide positive results (Sfendla et al., 2018; Kanchibhotla et al., 2020). Nevertheless, they are oriented on different areas, specifically mental, physical, and psychological health, which implies the necessity to determine the total influence of yoga, mindfulness, and meditation on all the accompanying conditions (Derlic, 2020). Moreover, the difference in programs and varying challenges should be considered since, for example, self-regulation issues and substance abuse cannot be addressed similarly (Owen-Smith et al., 2021; Willy-Gravley et al., 2021). Hence, the two main factors to be examined in the study include belonging to a specific population group and the presence of particular problems to be addressed by the development of innovative projects described above.
The Bible supports the need for analyzing the mentioned areas, providing for the requirement to apply proper treatment to people. It is expressed in Hebrews 13 as follows: “Continue to remember those in prison as if you were together with them in prison and those who are mistreated as if you yourselves were suffering” (“Hebrews 13:1-3,” n.d.). This verse means that incarcerated individuals deserve the right to have their essential needs addressed equally to their peers with no criminal history, and the suggested program can help perform this task. In addition, the focus on people’s troubles, as per the above quote, underpins the feasibility of yoga, meditation, and mindfulness for allowing them to avoid further complications in life.
Conclusion
To summarize, the proposal is to study the effects of the discussed practices on prisoners’ mental, physical, and psychological well-being with regard to their particular groups. It will be useful for lowering recidivism rates when the interventions are applicable to the affected persons based on these conditions. As a result, the improvements in their lives by adopting alternative techniques will ensure the population’s prosperity as their problems are promptly addressed by applying long-term measures.
References
Derlic, D. (2020). A systematic review of literature: Alternative offender rehabilitation – Prison yoga, mindfulness, and meditation. Journal of Correctional Health Care, 26(4), 361-375. Web.
Gideon, L., & Sung, H. (2011). Rethinking corrections: Rehabilitation, reentry, and reintegration. SAGE Publications, Inc.
Hebrews 13:1-3. (n.d.). Bible Gateway. Web.
Kanchibhotla, D., Kulkarni, S., & Singh, S. (2020). Effectiveness of a comprehensive yoga program on convicted extremist offenders. International Journal of Yoga, 13(1), 50-54. Web.
Owen-Smith, A., Black, H., Emerson, D., Cotner, M., Smith, H., Jackson, D., Ford, J. D., De Bar, L., DiClemente, R., & Hayat, M. J. (2021). A pilot study to adapt a trauma-informed, mindfulness-based yoga intervention for justice-involved youth. International Journal of Yoga Therapy, 31(1), 18. Web.
Sfendla, A., Malmström, P., Torstensson, S., & Kerekes, N. (2018). Yoga practice reduces the psychological distress levels of prison inmates. Frontiers in Psychiatry, 9, 407. Web.
Willy-Gravley, S., Beauchemin, J., Pirie, P., Gomes, A., & Klein, E. (2021). A randomized controlled trial of yoga with incarcerated females: Impacts on emotion regulation, body dissociation, and warnings of substance relapse. Social Work Research, 45(1), 20-29. Web.