Stopping Crime one Etiquette Class at a Time

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While I was traveling in Texas recently, there was a fascinating story on the news. Apparently, a simple one-day etiquette class can make prison inmates far less likely to return to prison after they are released. At the Cleveland Correctional Institute north of Houston, Colleen Rickenbacher teaches a one-day etiquette class a few times a year for inmates who are scheduled to be released. In her career, Ms. Rickenbacher is passionate about teaching people how to make a good impression. She believed that the same techniques could make a difference in the lives of ex-cons. No one expected what a major difference it could make! During her one-day class, she teaches the inmates table manners, how to tie a tie, how to correctly shake someone's hand, how to write thank you notes, and the proper way to ask out a woman. As simple as this program sounds, the inmates who complete the one-day class only have one-third the recidivism rate of similar inmates who are released without going through the program. Isn't it amazing what a few simple tips on proper manners can make in someone's life? It made me wonder if many of these men would stay out of prison in the first place if we taught these skills in school. It is certainly something to think about!