A program planning system that sees differences as strengths and takes them into account in the planning process may have more success engaging the community, the inmate, and the inmate's family than one which alienates individuals based on difference or disregards difference entirely. Program planners should develop a pattern of behaviors, attitudes, and policies that enable the system of planning and service delivery to be "culturally competent"-that is, to operate effectively in cross-cultural situations and to function effectively in a variety of cultural contexts. ^[1]   To become more culturally competent, the system should (1) value diversity, (2) have the capacity for cultural self-assessment, (3) be conscious of the dynamics inherent when cultures interact, (4) institutionalize cultural knowledge, and (5) develop adaptations to service delivery reflecting an understanding of diversity between and within cultures. ^[2]   As suggested above, these five elements must be manifested throughout the service delivery system, including attitudes, structures, policies, and services.

Making the programming plan and any program materials available in non-English languages prevalent in a given community is an important, basic step toward cultural competency. The Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Corrections, for example, provides services and paperwork in Spanish to Spanish-speaking prisoners and is working to incorporate more cultural competency in its programming by reaching out to local faith-based groups and drawing on their ties to the Spanish-speaking community. In general, language used to communicate with prisoners orally and in writing should be geared to the background and comprehension level of each particular inmate.

Hiring individuals whose experience reflects that of the prisoners is another way to build cultural competency. People who have been in prison, for example, can speak directly to the experience of individuals currently serving time. Thus, the messages and services they deliver may find particular resonance with people who are currently incarcerated. Departments of Corrections and their community partners should make conscious efforts to recruit individuals who come from the same communities and share the same backgrounds as people incarcerated in their facilities.

Example: Osborne Association (NY)

The Osborne Association operates a broad range of treatment, educational, and vocational services for people involved in the criminal justice system, including current prisoners. Of the Osborne Association's 155 staff members and some 40 volunteers, more than 80 percent are African American, Caribbean American, Latino, and Asian, and many are former prisoners, people in recovery, and people living with HIV/AIDS.

When hiring employees with similar cultural identification to those they will work with is not possible-for instance, when the communities to which prisoners will return are a great distance from the correctional facilities-it is especially important that staff members and corrections leadership be trained to become culturally competent both generally and on a jurisdiction-specific basis. As opposed to mere packaging or political correctness, true cultural sensitivity provides a way to reach individuals who may otherwise never engage in or accept needed support and services. (See Policy Statement 14, Behaviors and Attitudes, for more on engaging individuals in treatment with peer and faith-based programming.) Indeed, evidence has shown that some programs focused on minority populations can have measurable effects on recidivism.

Example: Social Mentoring Academic and Rehabilitative Training Program, Los Angeles County Men's Central Jail (CA)

The Social Mentoring Academic and Rehabilitative Training (SMART) program for gay inmates at the Los Angeles County Men's Central Jail began five years ago in response to a nearly 90 percent recidivism rate among the jail's gay population. The program lasts for 10 weeks, during which time individuals are required to take at least three classes, including a mandatory drug rehabilitation class. Community and state agencies and organizations offer in-house support services, including educational and vocational training classes, HIV and AIDS counseling, STD testing, and employment services. In addition, program participants are often put in charge of teaching their peers. For example, an individual who is computer literate might teach a basic computer skills class. Over the five years that the SMART program has been operational, the recidivism rate among the gay inmates has dropped to 30 percent.