TextBehind on the Intersection between Prisoner Communication and Recidivism

The US prison system is overcrowded and overlooked. Thought leader and CEO of TextBehind Zia Rana proposes methods of prison reform that feature facilitated communication between prisoners and the outside world of friends, family, and loved ones. When prisoners can reinforce their connection to their support systems, it enables them to see beyond their present circumstances and more fully imagine their lives outside of prison. This steers them away from future criminality, gang affiliation, and extended sentences.

While further offenses once in prison are a relevant concern, being re-criminalized and rearrested once inmates leave remains one of the largest problems facing the prison system. Studies show that across 24 states, 66% of individuals released from prison are rearrested within three years, and almost 20% more are rearrested within a decade. Undergoing one of the highest recidivism rates in the world, the US Correctional System needs reform and would benefit greatly from social and technological progress extended toward them by organizations like TextBehind.

TextBehind, an organization that facilitates streamlined communication between prisoners and the public through both advanced cloud infrastructure and a physical mailing service, is transforming the relationships that inmates have with the outside world through technology-based enterprise. Through TextBehind, texts and photo messages can be printed and mailed to prison facilities throughout the USA. One of the many service models that the organization offers, including onsite and offsite infrastructure. TextBehind provides incarcerated individuals the opportunity to play more active roles in the lives of their loved ones.

One recently published article in PrisonPolicy.org demonstrates the direct link between recidivism and family correspondence, reporting that released women who consistently communicated with their loved ones were less likely to be reincarcerated within five years. They also describe mail correspondence as a lifeline, “personal letters are a highly practical and cherished mode of communication for people inside and outside of prison.”

Besides the transformational potential that communication has on the imprisoned, it is also a source of healing for those awaiting their release from the outside. Children whose family members are imprisoned are two times as likely to experience learning disabilities, ADHD, ADD, and anxiety. Other studies expand on the value of sharing written and drawn correspondence with incarcerated family members and report that being able to revisit physical correspondence over time can help children to tangibly understand their relationships with incarcerated family.

TextBehind plays a powerful role in fostering meaningful relationships with inmates. A socially conscious organization, they serve the wholly underserved prison population by instituting changes that transcend the barriers of prison walls. They seek to lead necessary change within the US prison system and to successfully enhance the lives of those that they serve. TextBehind recognizes the interconnection between accessible, regular communication and recidivism to help inmates across the United States maintain healthy, fulfilling relationships.