The David Lynch Foundation has partnered with New Horizons School - a transitional school for formerly incarcerated youth in New Haven, CT - to help break the cycle of recidivism for these young people through the Transcendental Meditation technique. Studies have shown that meditating inmates have significantly lower recidivism rates and have had greater success in curbing substance abuse and addiction when compared to the larger prison population.
The origins of criminal behavior, while difficult to pinpoint precisely, can often be traced back to the long-term impact of traumatic stress. Unless a rehabilitation program effectively targets the underlying cause, too often rehabilitation proves ineffective, and incarceration and recidivism rates continue to climb -- resulting in considerable pain and suffering for the victims of crime, significant expense to taxpayers, and substantial waste of human potential to those incarcerated.
Transcendental Meditation has been taught with significant benefit to inmates in some of America's toughest prisons, including San Quentin, Folsom, and Walpole. By relieving stress, increasing coping ability and developing self-esteem, meditation can cost-effectively supplement traditional rehabilitative programs. Numerous studies have shown that inmates who learn TM demonstrate a decrease in violent behavior, stress, and aggression as well as marked reductions in recidivism rates.
More than a dozen studies have been conducted on meditation in correctional settings. Results of research have shown reduced psychological distress, decreased rule violations, decreased substance usage, and lower recidivism rates. According to a five-year Harvard study investigating the effects of the TM technique in a maximum-security prison, violence throughout the prison decreased, and the rate of recidivism among participating inmates was 30-35% less than for four other treatment groups.
