Show Utah To Rehabilitate Offenders I Traditionally correctional in institutions institutions institutions in- in have been used as institutions of punishment for public offenders Little has been done in the way of rehabilitating rehabilitating rehabilitating re re- re- re habilitating such persons Now through a cooperative program between the Utah State Prison the Utah Technical College at Provo and the Office of Rehabilitation Rehabilitation Rehabilitation Re Re- habilitation Services ORS a project to return Utah's public public public pub pub- lic offenders to society rehabilitated not not merely incarcerated has has been launched Dr Vaughn L. L Hall Executive Dire Director tor ORS announced to to- day THE TilE PROJECT will accept accept accept ac ac- ac- ac from 80 to felons in the minimum security unit of the prison he added Four rehabilitation counselors willbe will willbe willbe be assigned to work with the inmates The project goal for each inmate inmate inmate in in- in- in mate in the program will be ajob a ajob ajob job upon release from which he can get satisfaction and adequate adequate adequate ad ad- equate earnings to meet basic requirements and expectations Dr Hall stated HE WENT ON to say that this program will utilize a team approach and institutional and Vocational Rehabilitation staff It will provide a comprehensive comprehensive comprehensive compre compre- program of essential services to prepare the inmate for social and alid productive function function function tion in the community Initially primary emphasis of this program will include approaches and techniques to change patterns to prepare tr U inmate for vocational vocational vocational voca voca- tra and for subsequent subsequent subsequent sub sub- sequent According According Accord Accord- ing to D Tall this prevocational pre vo phase may take from six months to a year OBJECTIVES OF this prevocational prevocational prevocational pre- pre vocational phase are to determine determine determine de de- de- de termine the needs of prisoners for vocational rehabilitation services in view of their physical physical physical phys phys- ical mental behavioral and social handicaps and to provide provide provide pro pro- vide intensive vocational pre-vocational rehabilitation services to the offenders who have been screened screened screened screen screen- ed in and assigned to the program program program pro pro- gram he stated The range of services of-services servi es available available available avail avail- able to selected inmates includes includes mcl in m- cl udes medical diagnosis physical physical physical phys phys- ical restoration counseling and guidance social psycho-social and vo vocational vocational vocational evaluation work adjustment adjustment adjustment ad ad- services remedial education education ed ed- ed- ed training in a skill I selective job training assignments assignments assignments assign assign- ments within prison industries assignment up follow-up and individual individual individual in in- and group counseling and therapy EXISTING TRAINING programs programs programs pro pro- grams at the prison provided provid d dby by the Utah Technical College at Provo in welding drafting meat processing laundry cooking cooking cook cook- ing and baking and electronics will be utilized In addition training courses in auto mechanics mechanics mechanics me me- auto body repair diesel mechanics machine operation and electrical appliance repair will be made available hopefL hopefully ly in the near future I think its it's a great program program program pro pro- gram said Warden Warden- Turner Nearly 50 per cent of the inmates are unskilled Such a program will ena enable le many of them to learn a trade We have found that an interest in vocational vocational vo yo- training often reforms troublemakers SEN ERNEST II H. Dean Research Research Research Re Re- search Director of the Utah Technical College at Provo has been actively in inthis inthis inthis this project since 1961 when as Speaker of the Utah House of Representatives he made visits to the and the Governors Governor's office urging support support support sup sup- port for such a rehabilitation program The program began with the provision of general vocational courses provided by the Utah Technical Colleges Mr Dean is now actively in involved involved involved in- in in research in an at attempt attempt attempt at- at tempt to evaluate the vocational vocational vocational voca voca- programs to this point and to indicate future directions for rehabilitation of felons VOCATIONAL training is itself therapeutic in m nature It puts the mind on something constructive the Senator said He also indicated two problems problems problems lems which must be overcome if the inmate is to be The business community community community com com- must first of all realize that they have a part to play I I Inmates need jobs to go to upon release if they they are to remain in the community Any company large or small which has regulations prohibiting the hire of felons ex-felons needs to chance THE SECOND problem area according to Mr Dean is the legislature The legislature must reali realie e that this is a wise dollar spent and that more should be provided for vocational vocational vocational vo vo- vo- vo I education related to the inmate More and more such programs programs programs pro pro- grams are needed to rehabilitate rehabilitate rehabilitate the felon into a responsible responsible responsible sible individual He should become become become be be- come supporting self rather than let the public support him he concluded SUCH A PROJECT aims at turning out a more well ad and productive person in the rehabilitated felon as opposed to a felon who has merely been punished This will not only benefit the ex- ex felons but society as well |