CJC’s instruction prepares and encourages offenders to receive and accept cognitive and/or treatment programs. CJC assists offenders in learning the true nature of crime and how crime harms/damages real people and communities.
CJC holds offenders accountable for the damage they cause. Since 2001 we have provided effective “Offenders Victims Impact Classes” to incarcerated persons and for individuals under community supervision (see UNL 2012 Research Study). During class, offenders must identify and record how people and communities are damage by crime using “Surrogate Victims Impact Statements” taken from our CJC website. Our instruction also prepares and encourages offenders to receive and accept cognitive and/or treatment programs. An offender who has completed the CJC course demonstrates they can understand, digest, and apply programming techniques more quickly and easily in comparison to an offender that has not been exposed to CJC instruction.
CJC Participants Recidivism Rate
- 869 inmates have completed the class
- 653 were released back into their communities
- 117 returned to Nebraska prisons with new offenses before their 3rd year of release, a 18% recidivsim rate. 11% return to Nebraska prison for technical (rule) violations.
“Over the past ten years I have seen so many women who truly believed that THEY were the only victim of their crime. After a class, they come away with a realization, and a new attitude about what they have done, and how many people were affected. The class is one of the single most effective things I have seen done at Nebraska Correctional Center for Women.”
Vocational Teacher II/Victims Advocate
Nebraska Correctional Center for Women
In Nebraska Correctional Staff and Community Benefits
- Supervision of offenders is easier (offenders are less defensive).
- Staff and inmate safety is improved.
- Offenders are able to understand, digest and apply treatment techniques easier and much faster.
- Offenders become open to other programming.
- Safer Communities (less crime).
- Much lower recidivism rates.
- Saved Tax Dollars!
The impact of these classes highlight the common ground we all share regarding pain and loss; having a deep down and long lasting emotional impact accelerates change in thinking and behaviors equaling less crime and safer communities. By utilizing surrogate victims we can speed up the accountability/growth process where offenders build important competencies skills essential in habilitation!
CJC participants comments – How was the class helpful?
- It helped me see more the effects that my actions have had on my victim’s family and how it led to damage of the community’s sense of security.
- Help me realize what I did and how deep the wounds go. How I can start the process of healing.
To review all inmates class comments please contact James Jones at (402) 429-1050