Page 161 - Demo

159The chart above shows the results of a followup of prison inmates who had learned the Transcendental Meditation (TM) technique while in prison, for 15 years after they were released. They were parolees, of a maximum security prison in California, who had learned the TM technique while incarcerated. They were compared with controls matched to the TM group on race, offense, prior commitment record, age, and drug use history. Controls had only participated in educational and vocational training or psychotherapy and not in the TM program. The TM group had over 40% fewer re-arrests leading to new felony convictions and new prison terms than controls. (Reference 1)Similarly, a six-year study compared male felon parolees in three prisons, who learned TM while in prison, with controls matched on parole year, race, institution, and offence, and also compared them with 37,000 statewide parolees. TM parolees had a 46.7% lower reconviction rate than statewide parolees and 30%u201340% reduced recidivism than controls at fi ve years after release. (Reference 2)A third study defi ned recidivism as return to prison for 30 days or more. It was conducted in a maximum security prison in Massachusetts. It found that the TM program reduced recidivism 33% more than four other treatment programs. (Reference 3)All together, 25 studies in 9 countries document that the TM program profoundly reduces return to prison and is more effective than other programs. Reduced RecidivismCumulative proportion over time, of subjects in the TM and Control groups, who were rearrested and reconvicted of felony.p = .017060504030201000 5 10 15Years since release from prisonControlsPercent RecidivistsTMtm-043LESS RETURN TO PRISONReference 1: Rainforth, M. V., Bleick, C., Alexander, C. N., & Cavanaugh, K. L. (2003). The Transcendental Meditation program and criminal recidivism in Folsom State prisoners: A 15-year follow-up study. Journal of Offender Rehabilitation, 36(1%u20134), 181%u2013204.Reference 2: Bleick, C. R., & Abrams, A. I. (1987). The Transcendental Meditation program and criminal recidivism in California. Journal of Criminal Justice, 15(3), 211%u2013230. Reference 3: Alexander, C. N., Rainforth, M. V., Frank, P. R., Grant, J. D., Von Stade, C., & Walton, K. G. (2003). Walpole study of the Transcendental Meditation program in maximum security prisoners III: Reduced recidivism. Journal of Offender Rehabilitation, 36(3%u20134), 161%u2013180.