If a person has been to prison before, but continues to do the things that sends them back there, what is wrong with that person? That question is the foundation of The Roots of Crime. Though it may be difficult to see, there is always a reason why a person does what they do. Usually it is based in a lifetime of poor decision making and faulty thinking. Sometimes it stems from not knowing that a better way exists, or not having what it takes to get there alone. Whatever the reason, a life spent committing crimes, victimizing others, and dying in prison does not need to happen.
Unfortunately, crime is an ongoing problem that ruins the lives of thousands each year. But it doesn’t have to be this way. People can, and do, change. Most of us change daily, if we notice it or not. We get older, and with continued living new factors enter into the equation. We look at things in a different light due to our life experiences. These experiences can, and do, redirect our thoughts on a subject. And the list goes on. For most, this results in unintentional change. Since change is obviously real, why not direct the course of change? Intentional change with a goal of a better and crime free life is our mission.
Here at the Roots of Change we believe in change. Change on a profound, life altering level. But at the same, time we know that the people who need to change the most will probably not take the necessary steps to invoke the process. Intervention in their behalf is the answer. To put it bluntly, some people need to be saved from themselves. Directed change is usually a concept that will be shunned by the people who truly need it. After all, we are talking about damaged individuals who see nothing wrong with doing things that will ruin lives, including their own. If they can’t see the problem, they have very little chance of seeing a need to fix it.
The materials on this site are free. Download anything you want and use it, share it, teach it. Just don’t charge for it. These materials were designed to be used in an institutional setting, but don’t let that stop you from expanding to other arenas. The method for imparting most of the information on this site is through teaching. There are some booklets available that are designed for distribution which are simply food for thought. The important thing is to do something with this content. Positive change is real, and so are these methods of bringing it into existence.
Our Programs…
Morph – A Program of Change.
Going to prison does not need to happen. Many times a person can find themselves in trouble, but not necessarily deserve a trip to prison. And many times, going to prison can actually do more harm than good. Lets face it, prison can be the worst thing that could happen to someone at an impressionable stage in their life. Morph is designed for people who are at a fork in the road – on the wrong path, but with help, still able to change course before its too late.
Unbound – Breaking the Chains that Bind Us.
Unbound is an anti-crime anti-moral wrongs program. It is designed for people in prison who want to break the habits that help them return to prison. It is a program of knowing oneself; Without realizing that you are the one responsible for the condition your life is in, and for the harm you have caused others, there is no real chance of breaking the cycle of recidivism. Unbound is a harsh dose of reality. This program is designed for the inmate who is probing into the possibility that a better way exists, and that a personal change can make it a reality.
The Criminal I Am – A program of self awareness and possibilities.
The Criminal I Am is based on a survey administered to over 300 inmates and prison staff. It focuses on the responses supplied by the “career criminal.” (someone with 3 or more criminal convictions) By pinpointing the questions that only the career criminals answered differently from the rest of the respondents, a program was created for inmates to see if they themselves shared any thinking patterns with the career criminals. The dawning recognition that they themselves may be a career criminal just waiting to happen, is an eye opening experience. After all, sharing the same faulty thinking with hundreds of repeat offenders can’t be ignored.
Suggested Reading
The Theory of Criminality – A Study on Crime, Recidivism and their Origins.
The Theory of Criminality is a written account of the results of a survey conducted at Martin Correctional Institution in Indiantown, Florida – a maximum-security prison which houses approximately 1,500 inmates convicted of every crime imaginable. This survey took place in 2013 and was conducted by myself and several inmates, who volunteered their help. The process required many months and considerable man-hours. This is, more than likely, the first undertaking of its kind. The findings of this study sheds new light on the innerworkings of the criminal mind.
Pamphlets for People in Need
Saving Yourself from Yourself
An 8 page pamphlet filled with thought provoking insight for someone in need of a change. This is the perfect reading material for someone in juvenile detention centers, rehab, prisons, county jails, homeless shelters and any place where someone’s bad decisions have played a part in their situation. These handouts are also the perfect tool to reach someone not mandated to participate in any programs, but is obviously in need of a wake-up call.
You Could Be Me
A 16 page pamphlet designed for youthful offenders or young people on the wrong path in life. It was put together in a maximum security prison and is the account of 10 inmates who were on the wrong path early in life, and ended up in prison as a result. Each account gives the age the inmate first had a brush with the law, their age now, and how they view that early moment in their lives as a fork in the road that they ignored.
