Java HotSpot Virtual Machine

I am trying to "Pass a string to C++" using JNI<~~~I am successful. If I "Return a string back to Java"<~~I am successful also. When I "pass a string" to a C++ function(within C++), I can't "return a string". To make it more understandable, using Java, I need to pass a String to C++. In C++, I need to pass the String that came from Java to a C++ function. The C++ function needs to return a String. I believe the problem is the C++ function is unable to return the String. Someone please HELP!!! Below is my C++ code:

#include <string.h>
#include <stdio.h>
#include <iostream.h>
#include <jni.h>
#include "PassReturnString.h"

char returnString(char*);

JNIEXPORT jstring JNICALL Java_PassReturnString_showString
(JNIEnv *env, jobject obj, jstring jstr) {
static char copyStr[32];

const char* str = env->GetStringUTFChars(jstr, 0);
strcpy(copyStr, str);
env->ReleaseStringUTFChars(jstr, str);
const char ret = (char)returnString(copyStr);
return env->NewStringUTF(ret);
}
char returnString(char* c) {
char *back;

if(*c == '1') {
back = "Hello";
printf("%s", back);
return *back;
}
else if(*c == '2') {
back = "World";
printf("%s", back);
return *back;
}
else if(*c == '3') {
back = "!!!";
printf("%s", back);
return *back;
}
else {
back = "Error";
printf("%s", back);
return *back;
}
}