West Virginia’s Division of Corrections and Rehabilitation is doing something right

“Our correctional industry leaders and employees have recognized that operating a successful prison system includes preparing the incarcerated population for a productive life outside of the system. This effort involves parole and probation agencies, social service providers, work-release employers, and support from the community.” — Joe Thornton, former Secretary of the West Virginia Department of Military Affairs and Public Safety (DMAPS) 

West Virginia is sometimes unfairly criticized by outsiders that are unaware of the state’s many positives, such as its friendly people and beautiful, scenic mountains. But even the state’s residents may not be aware of some of West Virginia’s other accomplishments. For example, the successful rehabilitation of people exiting state prisons. 

A recent report by Suzuki Law found that West Virginia’s recidivism rate is lower than all but four states. This positive finding is consistent with a PEW survey taken more than a decade ago which also found West Virginia to have the fourth lowest recidivism rate. 

More broadly, the American criminal justice system must do more than just say “goodbye” to discharged inmates; it must take pro-active steps to help with a very difficult transition. As indicated below, such action results in all of us being safer and lessens our tax burden.

 A large portion of the world’s total inmates are here in the United States, where almost a half million new inmates enter the system each year. Currently, we have nearly 2 million people incarcerated, the majority in state prisons at tremendous cost to state taxpayers. And 1 out of 5 are in jail due to mostly non-violent drug offenses. 

States like West Virginia with lower recidivism rates have more effective programs for dealing with people convicted of crimes and eventually released. While West Virginia’s 24% recidivism rate may sound high to the uninformed, it is less than half that of Delaware (65%), the highest state. And West Virginia’s historically lower rate did not simply happen by accident, prison reform has been a priority for a while.  

In 2013 and 2015, Democratic Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin and West Virginia’s Legislature made a very conscious decision to identify and employ “scientifically validated” “best practices” to improve the state’s justice system, for both youth and adults. In a rare illustration of how government can — and should — work, both the GOP and the Democrats agreed on the need for reform. Then, together, they accomplished it, all without pointing fingers as is so common in 2025.  

Senate Bill 371 (2013) enacted reforms regarding the adult offender system. The Justice Reinvestment Initiative employed assessment and treatment of “behavioral health and substance abuse” to reduce recidivism. Instead of incarceration, the state established “day report centers,” successfully utilizing “treatment and recovery services” versus incarceration. 

Senate Bill 393 (2015) zeroed in on “at-risk youth” where they lived, providing them with home-based guidance and mentoring. Previously, these children were committed to youth detention facilities, i.e. jails. As a state planning and budgeting senior analyst, I visited and evaluated such facilities in Georgia in the 1970s. I guarantee you that they were problematic, as well as personally disturbing. 

It is a true shame that other red and blue states with high recidivism rates — such as Delaware, Alaska, Arkansas, Rhode Island and Colorado — have not come together to install scientifically based reforms that have been proven to be successful in West Virginia and other more enlightened states. Per one legal expert, “By adopting evidence-based rehabilitation programs and supporting former inmates in their transition back into society, we can reduce recidivism rates, improve public safety, and ease the economic burden on taxpayers.” 

High recidivism can be reduced by providing inmate educational and rehabilitation opportunities, and support after release from prison including employment assistance, housing and education. But the first step is to recognize that there is a problem. 

Jim Rubenstein, a past WVDOC Commissioner, once stated, “I am proud of our staff’s commitment to the WVDOC’s goal of reducing offender recidivism.” Mr. Rubenstein, everyone reading this column will agree. I just hope other states will follow in your footsteps.