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 — From Beyond Mainstream 2003 Visions for PrisonsBy Bill Asenjo It's no secret that prison overcrowding forces officials to release prisoners before they are rehabilitated, before they possess the skills needed to live productive lives. Prison life causes many offenders to feel more isolated and angry upon their release than when they began their sentences. But Dan Millstein's program, Visions for Prisons, reduces the likelihood they will return to a life of crime. Millstein's program teaches stress and anger management tools along with meditation and attitudinal healing to help change a prisoner's way of thinking about themselves and others. The seven-week course was designed to eclipse a prisoner's negative thoughts with new, positive ones. Since 1988, Millstein's volunteer staff has been creating support groups that generate a sense of spirituality and societal connectedness among prisoners. While the concepts of Attitudinal Healing and meditation may sound suspiciously "touchy-feely," the results speak for themselves: 80 percent of the prisoners who attend Millstein's seminars, and continue the practices he teaches, do not return to prison. Many of Millstein's students have become model inmates, working in hospices and tutoring illiterate prisoners. "We attempt to teach prisoners ways they can make healthy choices that help them love themselves and others," said Millstein, "and we attempt to follow-up after their release to encourage them to continue with their newly discovered practices." "I have no delusions about prison reform." Millstein explained. "But inexpensive and practical rehabilitation is possible." Statistics show that almost 2 million men and women are imprisoned in the US, the highest rate per capita in the world, and incarceration costs taxpayers more than if they had sent each prisoner to Harvard -- between $20,000 and $100,000 annually. The nonprofit Visions for Prisons performs hands-on prison workshops that really help at a cost of about $27 per prisoner. For more information: Bill Asenjo, PhD, CRC is a freelance writer and consultant. © 2009 Bill Asenjo |