Buzzing out of Recidivism with Learning

Last weekend I learned a new word: The word is Recidivism.

It is a noun, meaning a habitual relapse into crime.

Not a good thing.

I spoke at a conference at which everyone in the audience was a Chief or Deputy Chief for the U.S. Circuit Court, and the word recidivism kept coming up in each presentation —except mine. I was the only one there without a clue as to what it meant until I swallowed my ignorance and asked someone about it. It soon became clear to me that every single person in that room was bound and determined to prevent more recidivism from happening.

If not for my learning experience that day, my ears may not have perked up when this story came on the CBS Evening News two nights ago, for I was shuffling through a stack of unopened mail.

Bees Give Ex-Convicts A Second Chance
Program Teaches Former Prisoners How To Make Honey — And A New Life

(CBS) You might wonder how a tiny bee can be at the heart of an urban renewal story. But then, some bees are doing more than just making honey — they are giving people like Gerald Whitehead and Tony Smith a second chance.

"I've been in and out of prison since the time I hit 17 years old," Whitehead told CBS News correspondent Cynthia Bowers.

"I'm 31 and I was incarcerated for 14½ years," Smith said.

That's a story you hear here a lot in North Lawndale, a Chicago neighborhood of 45,000 where nearly 6 in 10 adults have a criminal record. One in four is unemployed.

Can you imagine? Read that again, and think, ‘recidivism’ …“nearly 6 in 10 adults have a criminal record. One in four is unemployed.”

There was another part of the story that jumped out at me because of one more word. This one however was familiar to me; we use it all the time here, for it is near and dear to our hearts. The word is Learning.

When Brenda Palms-Barber came here to start a jobs bank, she knew finding work for people with a record — and no real job skills — would take some inspiration. She never imagined it would take some insects, too.

"One friend of mine, just by chance, said, 'you know my husband's a beekeeper,' and I thought, 'What do you need to do or to know in order to be a beekeeper?'" said Palms-Barber of the North Lawndale Employment Network. "She goes, 'well, actually, it's a profession that's passed on by word of mouth.'"

Which makes it easy for anyone to learn. Now former armed robbers and gang leaders tend hives and harvest honey.

Let’s read that again; “A profession that’s passed on by word of mouth, is easy for anyone to learn.”

I think we need to talk to each other more.

So far 27 men have gone through the three-month program and found long-term jobs. Whitehead says the bees have taught him a invaluable lesson.

"In order for them to survive, they have to do this work," Whitehead said. "If they don't do this work, they can't survive. If I don't do a job, I can't survive."

Feel good about what you buy: Click on the photo to take you to Sweet Beginnings, LLC., where beeline, the sweet results of this worthwhile employment effort is sold online.

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As she did at that conference, when post author Rosa Say speaks, it is on Managing with Aloha, Bringing Hawaii's Universal Values to the Art of Business. She is convinced that living, working, managing, and leading with aloha can prevent recidivism too, and jumpstart a whole bunch of learning!

Comments

[Steve Sherlock]

Great story, Rosa. It can be a vicious circle and this is an innovative way to break the cycle.

[Rosa Say]

How perfect that you are the first one commenting on this Steve, for the other thing the story brought to mind for me was tertiary education, and all you do to promote it.
http://tertiary-education.blogspot.com/2007/07/tertiary-education-whose-responsibility.html

I have a client who takes great pride - as they should - in their own efforts to employ those that others normally do not, in their misguided notions of what "high standards for job candidates" should be. I must say that it is extremely rewarding for me working with them as their coach, and I in turn am quite proud to say I am affiliated with them.

We lift each other up when we drill down into our humanity.