I was afraid my child would be like me

“My new life has begun in rehabilitation,” admits Eli, one of the heroes of Israel Hayom. His words, like those of Kobe, another former prisoner, reflect not only personal drama, but hope: "I feared my child would become like me." These stories are not an exception, but part of the extensive work of the Israeli rehabilitation system, which today is becoming an example for many countries.

In Israel, the fate of former prisoners is increasingly changing thanks to rehabilitation programs that not only bring people back to normal life, but also bring tangible economic benefits to the state. According to Yisrael Hayom, if without support recidivism – reoffending a crime – reaches 40%, then with participation in RASHA programs (Reshut le-Shikum a-Asir, State Prisoners Rehabilitation Service), this figure drops to 20%. As the head of RASH, Moshe Ron Shokron, notes: Without treatment and escort, 40% of prisoners return to prison. With us, recidivism drops to 20 percent. This is a net benefit to the individual, his family and society.”.

The economy of the process is no less impressive: the annual maintenance of one prisoner costs the state about 350,000 shekels – the cost of food, security, infrastructure and personnel. For comparison, intensive rehabilitation in a residential center costs about 80,000 shekels a year, while a program in the community costs only 40,000. Every shekel invested in rehabilitation saves the state four by reducing reoffending and prison costs.

But behind the dry numbers are the fate of people. As Hila Levy, director of the Mafteot multidisciplinary center for ex-convicts convicted of domestic violence, says, “In groups, they learn to recognize aggressive thoughts and take responsibility.” The center uses group and cognitive-behavioral methods, helping participants not only cope with aggression, but also restore relationships with loved ones. According to the Ministry of Welfare, there were 5,712 cases of domestic violence in Israel in 2022, and the number of requests for help continues to grow. Programs like Mafteot are becoming a key tool in the fight against this phenomenon.

The stories of Eli and Kobe are only part of the puzzle. Many former prisoners face difficulties: finding housing, working, struggling with addiction, restoring trust in the family. “When I first came out, I didn’t believe I could change. But group classes made me look at myself honestly. Then everything began to change, says one of the participants of the program. The fear of children occupies a special place: “My main concern is to meet my daughter. I wanted to prove that I could be a different, real father.”.

The state is actively investing in the expansion of rehabilitation programs, including digitalization, the introduction of AI for individual support and the development of labor integration. According to experts, a further reduction in recidivism is possible due to expanding the coverage of programs, cooperation with employers and the introduction of new technologies. Today, RASHA helps thousands of former prisoners annually, and the economic effect is hundreds of millions of shekels of savings for the budget.

International experience confirms the effectiveness of this approach. In Norway, where the principle of "normalization" and the emphasis on education and therapy, recidivism is about 17.6%. In Germany and the Netherlands – 30-40%, in Singapore (Yellow Ribbon project) – 27%. In comparison, in the US and the UK, where rehabilitation is less developed, reoffending is committed by 43-50% and 48% of former prisoners, respectively. In post-Soviet countries, where the punitive approach prevails, recidivism exceeds 50%.

The Israeli model, which combines individual work, family support, labor integration and modern technologies, already allows to achieve results comparable to the best world practices. According to experts, the further development of the system is not only a matter of social justice, but also economic feasibility.

Summary and comparison table

Indicator Israel (with program) Israel (without program) Norway Germany Singapore United Kingdom Post-Soviet countries

Relapse 20% 40% 17.6% 30–35% 27% 43–50% 48% 50% +

The annual cost of a prisoner is 350,000 овая – ~$93,000 ~$50–70K ~$30–40K ~$36–60K ~$50K ~$10–20K

The annual cost of rehabilitation is 40-80,000 овая - - - - - - -

Savings per rehabilitator 270-310 000 кон — — — — — — — —

Payback (ROI) 4:1 — — — — — —

Israel’s rehabilitation system for former prisoners shows a steady decline in recidivism and significant savings for the state. The introduction of new technologies, the expansion of programmes and the emphasis on labour integration can further reduce the rate of reoffending and enhance social stability. International experience confirms that the focus on rehabilitation is a fair society.