The purpose of 3R (Respire, Remember, Respond) Emotional Intelligence for reducing recidivism project is to improve the social adaptability and resilience of offenders and ex-offenders, to promote their reintegration to society, and as a result to reduce recidivism. In this sense, Emotional Intelligence interventions should be given to prisoners who will be released within 6 months. To complement this measure, a social adaptability survey should be given to offenders within at least 3-6 months of their release.
The project plans to show the importance of the application of Emotional Intelligence tools and strategies for inmates who will be released within 6 months in order to reduce the levels of recidivism. The project will have a double line of intervention, both with inmates and with people who support the inmates in their attempt to reintegrate into society: guards, wardens and social workers, but also NGOs in the off-prison monitoring.
This program is doubled focused. On one hand, it will work with inmates and on the other one people who make up the support systems for inmates in their reintegration in society.
For prisoners it seems desirable to offer a comprehensive program which will help inmates learn how to integrate emotional intelligence practices into their everyday lives, for example, have training sessions focusing on stress handling, self-awareness and self-regulation. In parallel to this program for inmates, another should be offered for people whose role is to support the inmates in their attempt to reintegrate into society.
These include guards, wardens and social workers (in prison monitoring), but also NGO and other kind of organizations (off prison monitoring) taking into account the extreme importance of the follow up in the first months after releasing.
3R project will develop, pilot and implement a framework of methodology, tools, learning programs and recommendation for both targets. The goal is to endow the inmates to be aware of their options to design a different and new future from their last months in prison and their immediate release, the assumption of responsibility and the making of decisions and actions thinking in their reentry in society.
The overall objective of this project is to introduce a training method based on Emotional Intelligence against violence and aggressiveness as working tools in penitentiary centers in order to break the circle of recidivism. Our method is to start at grass root level, and therefore our target group is involved in all the steps of the project.
Specific Objectives
1) Map the emotional intelligence introduction in the CJS (Correctional Justice System) of partner countries.
2) Adapt the based learning experiences identified as positive practice within the partnership.
3) Develop the 3R learning system for CJS clients and, in a second step, train professionals working with them (pilot in country partners throughout a Lifelong Learning initiative);
4) Expose – at least – 140 inmates and 42 CJS staff and NGOs across the partnership to key competency-based learning experience.
5) Stimulate the community reintegration of prisoners and offenders, applying the strategies previously experienced.
6) Raise the awareness of involved local communities in the importance of Emotional Intelligence as a tool in the reintegration of inmates and offenders.
7) Integrate the transferred 3R methodology in partners national training practices (for inmates and their reintegration programme).
8) Bring into focus the value of 3R methodology as well as the sustainability of the methods and products resulting from the project, by offering at EU level advice on how the gaps in avoiding recidivism can be filled by key competency training.
Results- Final products
• A list of 10 main emotional skills needed by inmates in their attempt to reintegrate in society.
• Two training pills and two learning tools (toolbox) for each of those previous defined skills.
• A list of 10 main emotional skills needed by guards, wardens and social workers in their everyday
relationship with inmates and their support to the reinsertion.
• Two training pills and two learning tools for each of those previous defined skills.
• Information note on the project and links to online resources.
• A website for the indefinite maintenance of the on-line course and contact details of tutors.