presented by Avraham Hoffmann at the ICPA annual conference, Perth, Australia, October 2001

What right does the Prisoner Rehabilitation Authority (PRA) have to turn to the members of society, and ask that they absorb those who have offended and committed crimes against that society?

The Torah recognises that society is responsible for those of its members who have broken the law. As we see in the biblical story of an unknown person who was found dead outside a city, the city elders must declare: “Our hands have not shed this blood” (Deut.) Rashi, a well known biblical commentator asks: “could it possibly be that we suspect the wise men and elders of having shed the blood?” No. Rather, the continuation helps us understand – they must admit that their “eyes did not foresee” – they did not prepare a preventative system, they did not reach out and create a network of services for those in need.

The concept of the state’s responsibility for prisoner rehabilitation appears also in the Midrash (story of the sages) about King David, in the book of Samuel. “And David carried out justice and charity for all his people.” Our sages say that this means that David condemned the guilty and set the innocent free, and if the condemned had no money to pay the required fine, David paid it for him from the national budget. Thus, justice and charity come together.

We have a duty to open gates — the gates to the hearts wanting to be rehabilitated, to believe that “there is no person who cannot be rehabilitate.” It is a Jewish principle that society is responsible for its members, including offenders within that society. This responsibility is mutual — as it is written: “All the Children of Israel are responsible for one another.” The idea that an individual can change and must be given the right to repent, and start over again, is the basis of the creation of the world – it is written “repentance preceded Creation.”

To fulfil this duty, the Israeli Parliament (the Knesset) established the Prisoner Rehabilitation Authority (PRA) by law, in 1983, to treat any inmate who voluntarily turns to it for help. The Authority was created to put an end to negative attitudes and hopelessness, and to demonstrate our faith in rehabilitation, based on the struggler’s ability to cope with the difficult uphill climb.

A supportive public opinion that accepts the right of the released inmate to rehabilitate is fundamental for obtaining the needed budgets and the community’s acceptance to reabsorb the inmate. Hence, the Authority promotes local support by supporting voluntary activities and founding local public associations for released inmates that are composed of public figures. 

The released inmate’s problems are multiple and complex, hence they require co-operation between the different authorities and services. Thus, the PRA’s function is to effect co-ordination between government ministries, local authorities and other bodies as to subject connected to prisoner rehabilitation: the co-operation is based upon the creation of a bridge from the prison to the community and preparation of the community for reabsorbing the released inmate. Hence the Knesset – Israeli parliament – has recently legislated a new law.

The new law offers a more advanced legal status to the release committee and empowers the Prisoner Rehabilitation Authority [according to article 9.8] to give its recommendation about the release על-תנאי of inmates. This recommendation is weightier the smaller the portion of incarceration the inmate has already completed. The PRA’s recommendation may be of 3 types:

1. A recommendation for an inmate’s rehabilitation program, the possibilities of his integration into a steady job or therapeutic program, including the degree of supervision needed.
2. A recommendation stating that the inmate does not need a rehabilitation program and does not show patterns of delinquent behaviour.
3. A recommendation that the inmate is not fit for rehabilitation.

To do so the Authority has drawn a flowchart that describes the passage of the inmate from prison back to the community, which prepares him for the release committee as well as the community. Already in an advanced stage of his incarceration he is allowed to prepare his rehabilitation process.

The release committees: The release committee may release an inmates after he completes a two third (2/3) of his sentence according to the PRA’s above recommendations that are based upon an individual rehabilitation plan, called the “Personal Contract”. Set with the inmate, the “personal contract” is a therapeutic contract that states the conditions. This program is meant to establish the procedures by which the release committee refers an inmate to the different rehabilitation programs and community services. According to the “Contract’s” program the PRA is committed and responsible for the application of the inmate’s contract, and the inmate commits himself to participate after his release in a defined community therapeutic program. Only after the community prisoner rehabilitation counsellor, has given his consent, the Authority’s Director General has approved of the contract can the program becomes a part of the inmate’s release conditions approved by the Release Committee.

The in-accomplishment of the Committee’s decisions obliges the PRA, that is supervising the program in the community, to report to the Release committee.[1]                   

The ministry of Housing: Ministry of Housing, following an agreement with the PRA, gives inmates that have no housing, a housing support during the first year following their release.

The employment service: As mentioned before, we have defined rehabilitation as integration into the law-abiding society. The absorption into the work world is one of the major assessments to the rehabilitation’s success. Many efforts are made in the field of released inmates’ rehabilitation, in their detoxification from drugs, in emotional therapy, and in family therapy, but without any solution in the employment field, any investment may be for nothing. A lack and failure in employment are one of the major factors for going back to prison. Therefore the PRA has developed an employment support program that enables to respond as soon as possible to the released inmates problems as a worker through therapy. In co-operation with the employment bureau released inmates participate in vocational training to better their chances of finding a suitable work position. They receive the assistance of a social worker that follows up the progress, intervenes when necessary, and helps finding work and keeping it.

The social therapy: In the past social workers had little awareness about the ways to deal with released inmates and therefore were afraid of them. Interpreting this fear as weakness, inmates did not accept the social workers as people that can help them.

To change this situation the PRA together with the social welfare agencies organised meetings to change attitudes among professionals, to offer guidance and assistance for acute problems. Seminars were organised for social workers. In many settlements a joint team is dealing with released inmates. In local authorities where there are more than 60 residents incarcerated, there is a special prisoner rehabilitation coordinator in charge of absorbing the released inmates into the community.

The Israeli Prisoner Rehabilitation Authority (PRA) believes that rehabilitation of released inmates is possible only through a co-operation between the professionals and the public. Why is it impossible to rehabilitate without the community?

No matter how brilliant the therapy is, if the community is not ready to offer social help, does not accept to employ the inmates, or live near him, any effort of the professionals will be for nothing. At the same time, the volunteers lack the required professional knowledge without which he will most likely fail. Therefore, any rehabilitation of inmate must be composed of the joint efforts and co-ordination between the professional practitioner and the community. Hence the Authority developed programs for the rehabilitation of released inmates that engage the community:

• Students engagement in the rehabilitation of released inmates:
  • Students-inmates shared housing program – called also the 3-in-1 apartment, provides an effective answer to the need to rehabilitate former inmates in an urban environment and within a normative setting, as well as the need for society at large to be a partner in the rehabilitation effort. This program’s particularity lies in the fascinating meeting between the future elite of Israel and the world of delinquency. As far as we know this program is unique in its kind in the western world.

In this program, during a year or two, a young and single former inmate, male or female, lives in an apartment he shares with 2 university students.

• The students also take part in a major program we call the “Triangular Program” intended for the inmate, his wife and children. Helping the family altogether and promoting the beneficial return of the inmates home after their release.  
• The Authority’s Residential hostels – halfway houses – are situated in residential neighbourhood.

• Rehabilitation in rural settlements (Kibbutz). The released is adopted by one of the families of the kibbutz. He then takes part in the life of the Kibbutz, working according its rules.

• Religious rehabilitation in theological seminars. The released inmate, under the supervision of the rabbi, learns bible and is participating in all the programs of the seminar.

• (“Friendly employers”): as mentioned before an important condition for rehabilitation is employment. But many released inmates lack stability in employment and have difficulties in accepting authority. Therefore the PRA employment co-ordinators work at finding “friendly employers” who are willing to employ released inmates and co-operate with the PRA employment co-ordinator.

• The veterans – former released inmates that are successfully rehabilitated – that help newly released inmates, as a strengthening factor for the newly released inmates. Based on the theory of self-help group, this program helps also the veterans. By helping someone else, his own rehabilitation is strengthened.

Conclusion

Few will reach the top of the mountain. But, it should not be said that he who has not reached the top has not been rehabilitated. We define the rehabilitated person as the one who has chosen to follow the path toward rehabilitation. And, it should be recognised that not everyone has the power and the ability to achieve the same heights, and the jumping-off point of each person differs from that of his neighbour, although many others do not see it this way. A welcoming and supportive community will ensure that more released inmates will reach the top of the mountain.

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[1] An inmates is referred to the program according to the following criteria:

• He is recommended by the social worker in  the community, based also on the recommendation of the prison social worker. They have checked the inmate fits in and understands the nature and requirements of the program.
• The inmate has not been using drugs for at least 6 months, according to the Prison Services.
• The inmate shows motivation for therapy and rehabilitation.
• The inmate can attend meetings and interviews outside prison.
• He has a permanent housing.