Two people charged with multiple counts of felony and misdemeanor for their involvement in a two state crime spree were sentenced to the Rider Program instead of a prison term. For their misdeeds, the two defendants both in their 20’s were sentenced to five years in prison, but for now, the sentences stand suspended.
The Rider Program also known as “retained jurisdiction” allows offenders to undergo rehabilitation programs under the supervision of the Department of Corrections. If they fail the programs, the prison terms are invoked. The two convicts will initially serve one year at the Correctional Institute at Cotton Wood.
The Correctional Center in North Idaho is a minimum security prison, which keeps young offenders who are accused of nonviolent crimes away from the harsh environment of maximum security incarceration facilities. The Rider program is an initiative meant to bring about cognitive behavioral changes in the offender.
Its implementation has yielded significant results as the program aims to provide prisoners with the tools they would need to establish productive lives once they are back in the community. The rate of recidivism stands at 41% for those who have graduated through the Rider program and given the short prison stay of the offenders, it is currently saving tax payers millions in correctional costs.