Published on May 3, 2025 1:34 AM GMT
Summary
ReStructID -Estimate U- is a system designed to help users in jail track and understand their psychological state by recording "reference moments" - significant moments in their lives related to motivation and satisfaction levels. The app guides users through categorizing these moments according to various psychological axes (In/Out, Physical/Personal, Informational/Social) and provides a visualization of their identity mapping based on these inputs.
Motivation
Prison populations represent one of the most neglected yet high‑leverage contexts for behavioral‑change interventions: meta‑analyses show that correctional education reduces recidivism by 13–43%, and every dollar invested returns $4–$5 in averted incarceration costs within three years RANDDepartment of Justice. ReStructID is a lightweight, mobile‑first app that leverages self‑recorded “reference moments,” XP mechanics, and identity‑mapping to foster lasting self‑awareness in incarcerated users. Compared to one‑off courses or in‑person counseling, a digital, gamified tool can scale at near‑zero marginal cost, overcome staffing bottlenecks, and deliver continuous feedback—potentially outperforming typical correctional programs by an order of magnitude Wikipedia. We invite researchers, developers, and impact‑minded investors to join us in refining ReStructID and co‑designing a paper‑based planner for low‑tech deployment.
1. Why Focus on Prisons? An Effective‑Altruism Perspective
- High base rates of recidivism: In the U.S., nearly 68% of released inmates are rearrested within three years; education programs cut that by 13 percentage points (43% lower odds) RAND.
Strong cost‑effectiveness: The largest meta‑analysis found each $1 spent on prison education saves $4–$5 in future incarceration costs over the first three years Department of Justice.
Scalable impact: Unlike many social programs where marginal cost per beneficiary remains high, digital tools and paper planners can be distributed at low cost, amplifying reach. According to 80,000 Hours, the best interventions in a cause area are often 3–10× more cost‑effective than the average 80,000 Hours.
These figures place prison‑focused behavioral interventions among the top ROI opportunities for social impact, aligning with Effective Altruism’s emphasis on evidence and cost‑per‑beneficiary prioritization.
2. Why It’s More Efficient Than Other Proposals
- Digital + Low‑tech hybrid: A paper planner replica ensures accessibility when devices are restricted, without added staffing costs.
Self‑guided learning: Users learn to infer their own patterns (Bayesian updating) rather than depend on scheduled sessions.
Gamified engagement: XP and identity levels sustain motivation, addressing the “drop‑off” typical of one‑off workshops.
Minimal training: No need for specialized facilitators—any staff or volunteer can onboard users in minutes.
By borrowing the self‑reinforcing loops of large‑scale AI training but applying them to human psychology, we can achieve comparable adherence at a fraction of the per‑capita cost of standard correctional education Wikipedia.
3. ReStructID: A Lightweight, Gamified Self‑Assessment Tool
ReStructID helps incarcerated users capture and categorize “reference moments”—episodes of high/low motivation and satisfaction—across four psychological axes (In/Out, Physical/Personal, Informational/Social). It then maps these data points onto eight archetypal identities (Guardian, Warrior, Versatile, etc.) using pie‑chart visualizations, guiding users to define goals, habits, and tasks tied to XP and weekly checkpoints.
Key decisions:
- Flutter framework for cross‑platform (Android/iOS) ease of maintenance, version in paper optional.
Reference moments approach as a minimal viable input method, requiring only brief, structured entries.
Identity mapping & XP create intrinsic motivation loops.
Continuous tracking empowers users to update their priors about what works for them.
Compared with traditional in‑person curricula—where coverage is limited by instructor availability and static content—ReStructID offers on‑demand, personalized feedback, reducing marginal cost per user toward zero RAND.
Call for Collaboration and Investment
We are seeking:
- Programmers to refine the Flutter codebase and integrate optional LLM‑powered reflection prompts.
Researchers to co‑design RCTs or pilot studies in collaboration with correctional institutions.
Impact investors to support both the mobile MVP and a paper‑based planner prototype for low‑resource settings.
Additionally, we will provide a therapeutic‑humor deck (drawing on my prior work in humor‑based education) and a compact paper planner for those without device access.
Proponent Curriculum & References
Gabriel de Siqueira Brito
Educator, Firefighter, Social Humoristbr> sistemaebrito@gmail.com</p
Professional Profile: Multidisciplinary experience in education, emergency services, and social‑impact humor.
Education:
- B.S. Systems Engineering (UTN, ongoing)
Postgrad Clinical Neuroscience (WPós AVM, 2015)
B.A. Physical Education (UCB, 2013)
Military Firefighter Technician (CFAP SC, 2009)
Selected Social Projects:
- Libertad Incondicional (2022): Penitentiary education in Buenos Aires
Theater‑based rehabilitation workshops
Humor workshops in correctional centers
Portfolio:
firebrito.blogspot.com
https://www.instagram.com/humor.terapeutico/
We welcome feedback, potential pilot partners, and co‑founders eager to bring this high‑leverage tool to life.
Let’s build something that’s not only technically sound, but altruism‑effective at scale.
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