Summary

It's estimated that up to 65% of the U.S. prison population has an active substance use disorder. When these inmates are released, studies have shown that many will return to using and be arrested again within a few years. Stephanie Sy recently visited a jail in Kentucky that’s trying to not only break that cycle but also save lives. It’s part of our ongoing series, Searching for Justice. For a transcript of this story, click here . Key terms recidivism — when people who have been in jail or prison are returned to jail or prison for a newly charged crime, or when they engage in behavior again that led to their original imprisonment

Five Facts

• What percentage of the U.S. prison population struggles with substance use disorder?


• Where is the jail described in this story?


• Who are some of the people interviewed in this story, and what are their backgrounds?


• How does the drug program described in this story seek to help overcome substance use disorder and avoid re-entry to prison after release?


• Why does drug use lead to re-incarceration?

Focus Questions

What do you think Marc Fields (interviewed in this story) means when he says, "If this is a war on drugs, we definitely are losing that battle. Our philosophies of all those ways about we can incarcerate our way out of this and we're going to arrest everybody just plain doesn't work." Media literacy : Who else would you want to hear from to understand the connection between drug use and recidivism?

For More

What students can do : Dig deeper and learn more! Did you know that finding out more information on a topic is a civic action in and of itself? During the Civil Rights Movement, activists made sure they knew the history of the issues backwards and forwards, so they were well prepared when it came time for articulating what changes in policy needed to occur. You can do the same with issues of justice. This story is part of NewsHour's " Searching for Justice " Series. Searching for Justice explores criminal justice reforms unfolding across the country, as the leaders from both sides of the political aisle attempt to end mass incarceration by rethinking laws that some say have become barriers to work, housing, and economic stability. Click here for more stories and the series and watch for more NewsHour Classroom lesson content based on Searching for Justice stories.

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