Why do people reoffend?

[Flossy1989]

DD ex was originally given 9 months for DV. That gets halved so ends up doing 4.5 months. But within 24 or so hours . He breaks his conditions and gos straight back to prison this has happend 3+ times. And he's ended up doing almost 3.5 years so far.

He could have been getting on with his life by now.

I asked myself the same thing when my DS' dad, child sex offender, re-offended.

I spoke to a support worker who works for a charity that deals with similar cases. According to her, the reoffending rate was very high, and it was due to not enough available resources and help, and the offenders not willing to seek therapy.

My solicitor, on the other hand, told me people who offended once were already far gone. That they were a lost cause that no amount of courses or community service could change. And that the only help given in prison was group sessions between offenders who were just as corrupt as each other

1. They're always going to be 'a wrong un'

1. Prison is very good at getting better at being 'a wrong un' or limiting good life choices so making being 'a wrong un' more likely.

1. Once 1. and 2. are established, prison doesn't seem that bad compared with getting and keeping a job, running a home, paying bills etc.

I would have thought that lack of rehabilitation, housing and jobs probably don't help.

If you have been in prison for 5 years and suddenly released you probably don't have the skills to live independently. Where are you going to live? Getting a job is going to be pretty hard without a home address and convictions on your record. You won't be up to date with current technology so applying for jobs online is going to be difficult if you don't have access/don't know how to use a computer. You probably don't have decent clothes to even turn up to the interview in the first place or the money to get there.

Sounds like you have berm though alot . I hope your OK.

Everything you say definitely makes sense. From both people you spoke to really .

I do think that makes sense for someone who's Been in prison for a long time. But I thought it would be different for someone if they are only doing a few months or so.

No meaningful therapy available. Entrenched ways of being. Lack of empathy. Personality disorders. And so on.

Prison is basically criminal school not rehabilitation.

because prison isnt tough enough and its no deterrent.

He doesn’t think of consequences , lives in the moment.
is just plain stupid.
Doesn’t care about going back to prison. It’s not harsh enough to deter him but lacks resources to try to teach him new ways.
he’s resistant to change — his way is the only way.
As someone upthread said he’s just a bad ‘un.
Sorry your dd got involved with him and hopefully he’ll stay in prison.

This. I read a book a while ago about a girl who got involved with drugs and gangs on the London estate she lived on. Her DM had severe MH problems, but was still allowed residency.

Her F was a convicted rapist and had other convictions. She said prison is safe to him, he has no idea of the internet, mobile phones, Oyster cards, emails. As soon as he’s released, he does something to go back in as he can’t cope with the outside world.

Some.of them will be homeless. Reoffend and get a roof over their head and 3 meals a day

He doesn't want to get on with his life.

Some dv perpetrators want revenge on those they think have wronged them - police, courts, their kids, their exes.

Hence family homicides, stalking, etc.

I think its because the rage and the violence outweighs everything they are lacking in the responsibility of consequences.