...Punishment versus Rehabilitation Paper Punishment versus Rehabilitation The criminal justice system has four objectives. They are deterrence, punishment, incapacitation, and rehabilitation. Of these four deterrence, punishment, and incapacitation typically work together. Anytime a person commits a crime, punishment and rehabilitation are needed to address the problem swiftly and effectually. (Punishment vs. Rehabilitation: A Proposal for Revising Sentencing Practices, 1991). When the offender moves from prison to a step-down unit as they get closer to his or her release, they tend to have other issues other than drug and alcohol rehabilitation, and this is what causes recidivism. Research has shown that many prisoners in super maximum units experience extremely high levels of anxiety and other negative emotion. When released, often without any "decompression" period in lower security facilities, they have few of the social or occupational skills necessary to succeed in the outside world (Rehabilitate or Punish, 2003). Craig Haney, Ph.D. states, "This is what prison systems do under the emergency circumstance, they move to punitive social control mechanisms. But it's a very short-term solution, and one that may do more long-term damage both to the system and to the individuals than it solves (Rehabilitate or Punish, 2003)." Throughout this paper, I will be a discussing the strengths of punishment, and how it deters the offenders from repeating the crimes. I will also discuss...
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...Punishment versus Rehabilitation Paper Punishment versus Rehabilitation The criminal justice system has four objectives. They are deterrence, punishment, incapacitation, and rehabilitation. Of these four deterrence, punishment, and incapacitation typically work together. Anytime a person commits a crime, punishment and rehabilitation are needed to address the problem swiftly and effectually. (Punishment vs. Rehabilitation: A Proposal for Revising Sentencing Practices, 1991). When the offender moves from prison to a step-down unit as they get closer to his or her release, they tend to have other issues other than drug and alcohol rehabilitation, and this is what causes recidivism. Research has shown that many prisoners in super maximum units experience extremely high levels of anxiety and other negative emotion. When released, often without any "decompression" period in lower security facilities, they have few of the social or occupational skills necessary to succeed in the outside world (Rehabilitate or Punish, 2003). Craig Haney, Ph.D. states, "This is what prison systems do under the emergency circumstance, they move to punitive social control mechanisms. But it's a very short-term solution, and one that may do more long-term damage both to the system and to the individuals than it solves (Rehabilitate or Punish, 2003)." Throughout this paper, I will be a discussing the strengths of punishment, and how it deters the offenders from repeating the crimes. I will also discuss...
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...Arkansas vs. Missouri I chose to compare Missouri prisons to Arkansas Prisons. The findings were quite surprising. According to my research, Arkansas has over 6,500 inmates that are including women and men. Where Missouri has 21 prisons with over 30,000 inmates. Missouri has 5x more inmates, then Arkansas. But if you look at the length of sentencing for Missouri compared to Arkansas, Missouri has longer sentencing than Arkansas. This means that inmates in Missouri are there a lot longer than they are in Arkansas. Both states have the death row. Currently Arkansas has 37 or more inmates on death row. Missouri on the other hand, has over 5,000 inmates on death row. I personally believe the reasoning for the difference is because Missouri can’t afford to preform execution. But Missouri really can’t afford to keep these prisoners alive either. Arkansas recidivism rate is very sad, in 2007 46.7% of the inmates released, returned to prison. In Missouri the rate is quite lower. In 2010 5,480 inmates were released, out of that number only 9.2% of them returned in a six month period. I am not really good when it comes to math, but the numbers seem to say that Arkansas inmates don’t learn the first time or even the second time. Where in Missouri, the inmates try harder not to have to return to the prison system. Both Missouri and Arkansas require inmates that don’t have their high school education to take a G.E.D. course. By doing this, it will help the inmates get jobs when...
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...Inmates need work training and rehabilitation while in prison, not a neglectful system and unhelpful personnel. The Sentencing Reform and Corrections Act only applies to a select few that are in federal prisons and most states have done nothing to change that. Not preparing prisoners for the outside world has presented enormous challenges for convicts who have few skills when they are released. The mass incarceration problem will exist without the reformation across all the states. What is the goal of our criminal justice system? Education, counseling, job training? It's about the complications it would form for society as a whole. The state of Texas approved a two-year experiment that funded probation, parole, and re-entry programs. It worked and recidivism rated declined. The prison population dropped by 9,000 saving $443 million dollars and closing 3 prisons. Other states are funding substance-abuse counseling, mental-health treatment, and educational programs. I agree that we need to do something about the mass imprisonment within our country. Fixing the mass incarceration problem is a matter of public safety, about protecting the larger community from repeated criminal activity. Consider punishment vs. rehabilitation; warehousing human beings in degrading conditions vs. effectively preparing them for successful participation in society after their...
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...Thomas 2/25/2014 The Education Crisis in America Currently the U.S. has a major problem on its hands, education today is constantly losing money while we put more of that money and time into our prisons rather than our schools. By showing kids that it is more important to be tough on crime than it is for a proper education is wrong. If these practices continue you can expect to see higher drop-out rates and larger prison populations. Education should be the U.S.’s top priority and we should take pride in the greatest education system in the world. Education provides students not with just knowledge but ethics, character development and self-esteem which are important skills for the workplace and in life. That is why it is imperative that we change our education system to a higher standard and emphasize quality education for all in the U.S. to provide a better future for all students. The U.S. is currently putting less into schools and education while putting more into prisons and defense. States are choosing to increase spending on prisons while the funding for education is constantly decreasing. “In 33 of 50 states, corrections- related costs made up a larger proportion of the general fund than in the previous fiscal year, while spending on K-12 and higher education decreased” ( Hawkins). The U.S. is silently making a decision to keep people incarcerated while caring less about a proper education. What they don’t understand is that a proper education is the key to keeping...
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...Rehabilitation Paper Luanne McKnight CJS/230 03/03/13 Edward Harris, MS Rehabilitation Paper According to an encyclopedia, rehabilitation means “to restore to useful life, as through education” or restored to good condition, operation, or capacity.” (Wikipedia) Prisoner rehabilitation has gone through many changes over the years. In 1871 the national Congress on prison and reformatory discipline believed “crime was a moral disease, of which punishment was the remedy.” (Foster, 2006) the rehabilitation error, which spanned from the mid-1950s through the middle of the 1970s only took place in a few prisons in the southern states. In 1970, the joint commission on correctional manpower and training developed the medical model. This program would focus on the inmates social, intellectual or emotional deficiencies and Taylor program to rehabilitate them. For most inmates, the rehabilitation error develops three basic functions: classification on entering the prison; assignment to an institution based on that classification; and require participation in varied specialized programs focusing on areas in which change could be targeted. (Foster, 2006) Social impact of punishment and rehabilitation are varied. The biggest concerns being the increasing cost of correctional facilities and the fear to families caused by the eventual release of criminals back into society. In many cases, the impact on the victims carries great concern. Victims’ rights, at times, are overshadowed...
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...Differences in Jails and Prisons CRJ 303: Corrections 09/12/2011 When an individual commits a crime and is found guilty in a court of law, he or she will either be sent to jail or prison. The placement of the individual depends on the type of crime that is committed. Jail and prison are both places to send a criminal to keep them out of society and to do time for the crime that was done. There is a difference between jail and prison. Not everyone goes to jail for a crime. They may be sent to prison to serve his or sentence. In this paper I will discuss the difference between jail and prison. Jail can be defined as “a correctional institution used to detain persons who are in the lawful custody of the government (either accused persons awaiting trial or convicted persons serving a sentence).” (TFD, 2011) People who go to jail do not serve a long sentence. The will be in jail no more than up to two years or less. The mission for jails is pretty simple, “jails are full service facilities that offer security, food service, medical care, and offender programs.” (Seiter, 2011, Pg. 73) Jails are operated by the by the local government in which it is in. “There are about 3,600 jails in the U.S.” (CL, 2011) Jails are funding by the state that they are located in. The average size of a jail cell is 6 x 8. “Jails don’t have many amenities for people serving time there, since they won’t be there for very long (although a jail sentence...
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...justify the practice in some form and to state its proper objectives. The quantity and severity of punishments were reduced, the prison system have been improved. According to the Montgomery County Correctional Facility, Maryland, some of the major reasons for punishment are to reform, deterrence, rehabilitation, compensation, and retribution. Punishment for reform is intended to benefit the offender and society by changing the offender into a contributor to society. Punishment as deterrence is intended to benefit society by discouraging would-be offenders. Punishment to extract compensation is intended to benefit the victim of the offender. Finally, retribution is the only object for punishment that is primarily intended to harm the offender. Individuals are in prison because they broke the rules and would have to serve their time. Some go to federal prison and some go to state prisons. It depends on the type of crime that a person commits because these prisons harbor different types of criminals they also have different guidelines to follow in terms to punishing the inmates. Criminal offenders who benefit from prevention services and are at risk of committing more crimes include, juvenile offenders with learning difficulties, high school dropouts, and urban youth gang members. Prevention services may include activities such as special education programs, and big brother programs. Early intervention programs can significantly decrease the offender’s chances for committing...
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...“Do the crime, pay the time.” Should we be paying for inmate’s jail time? Should they have free food, free education and a roof over their heads after committing a crime? This seems to be an ongoing topic in the United States and in Canada. Politician’s and law men think inmates shouldn’t have a free pass. The way certain people see it “Do the crime, pay the time”, and I agree. Why should we, honest, hard working tax payers spend our hard earned money for the on-going errors that inmates keep repeating? Does that make sense? In the United States alone there is approx 2.4 million people incarcerated. 2.4 million inmates! That’s almost 7% of Canada’s population. Prisons cost taxpayers more than $32 billion a year. An American study done in 2010, demonstrated that every year an inmate spends behind bars costs taxpayers anywhere from $30,000.00 to $168,000.00! So an individual sentenced to a five year sentence because of a $2,500.00 theft could costs the public more than $125,000. The cost of a life term averages $1.7 million per inmate! That’s a lot of money coming out of our pockets, your future children's pockets. Studies have shown that certain states are spending more money on prisons than education. Over the course of the last 25 years, the amount of money spent on prisons has increased by 570% while that spent on elementary and high school education was increased by only 33%. That’s a huge difference! Once again I ask, Does that seem right? So why should we pay for...
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...Race and Ethnicity Should racial profiling be a legitimate law-enforcement policy in some areas? Should Affirmative Action for state university enrollment be continued? Should the primary method of public school funding--property taxes in individual school districts--be amended to create more fairness in schools? Should high-school history classes and social-studies curriculum be changed to reflect diversity and multicultural perspectives? Should Christmas, Easter, and other religious observances be considered national holidays? If a university offers "African-American Studies" or "Black Studies" as courses, should it also offer "European-American Studies" or "White Studies"? How do certain television programs perpetuate racial or ethnic stereotypes? Should Columbus Day be discontinued in favor of a new post-colonial perspective? Should schools only purchase textbooks that offer revised or alternative histories of historical events? What should be done about racial disparities in the sentencing of criminals? Should the American government pay reparations and return land to Native Americans? Should hate groups have the right to distribute literature on university campuses? If research shows that certain racial or ethnic groups receive poorer medical care on average, how should this problem be corrected? Should governmental organizations have staffs that accurately reflect the racial, ethnic, and gender balance in society? Gender and Sexuality What should be...
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...SOCIOLOGY 1A06 – DECEMBER EXAM REVIEW 1. The Sociological approach: a. is not scientific b. suggests that relations we have with other people create opportunities for us to think and act c. suggests that relations we have with other people set limits on our thoughts and actions d. leaves the study of personal issues to psychologists e. b and c * EXPLANATION: Although sociology contains both objective and subjective elements it is a science. Sociologists observe reality in a systematic and controlled manner and evaluate the validity of their ideas based on observations. Objectivity plays the role of a reality check while subjectivity makes us set our priorities for research. The sociological approach to improving human welfare is based on the idea that the relations we have with other people create opportunities for us to think and act but also set limits on our thoughts and actions. Accordingly, we can better understand that what we are and what we can become by studying the social relations that help shape us. FOR EXAMPLE: even the most personal issues can be studied using a sociological approach Suicide could have been seen as an anti-social act caused by psychological distress but Durkheim studied it from a sociological perspective correlating it to “social solidarity”, how frequently people interact with others and share their beliefs, values and morals. Social forces then determine the likelihood to commit suicide. Sociologists use...
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...for return and is defined as the act of going back to a prior place, location, situation or setting. Prison re-entry refers to the transition of offenders from prisons or jails back into the community. The concept of life in society is an important part of any reintegration of institutionalized people, including people who have been incarcerated for committing a crime. The institutionalization of a population leads to isolation, segregation and detachment of the elements of a company defining the basis of citizenship. Although individuals often returning to the community focus more on the choice of where they dwell, their long-term success in society is more likely to be dependent on the social roles they have chosen to play, to the extent that they will engage in the community and they have been prepared for this purpose during their incarceration or institutionalization. Reentry can help reduce recidivism as well as assist those who have been previously incarcerated to begin leading law abiding lives once released into society. However, overtime the importance of prisoner reentry has been drastically lowered with less emphasis on helping those to prepare for their release and with post release community integration. As a result, the shortage of reentry programs and limited responsibility of probation or parole to assist in re-entry; the rate at which people return to prison or jail is high. Keywords: reentry, recidivism, institutionalization Re-Entry and Its Effects:...
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...a. I think women are better listeners than men. PRO | CON | Women show to a greater extent in emotions | Could be just pretending to listen | Women naturally use reflective language | They talk way too much about one thing | Women care and are really interested in conversations | Can be annoying with certain topics | They give advice from their own experiences | They can push a subject down your throat | They give a women’s perspective on certain things | May be crying or loud speaking | b. capital punishment is no deterrent to crime. PRO | CON | Morality | Cost of death vs life in prison | Constitutionality | Race | Deterrence | Income level | Retribution | Attorney Quality | Irrevocable Mistakes | Physicians at execution | c. “Hard” sciences such as math are more difficult than “soft” sciences such as sociology. PRO | CON | More prepared for life situations | Economics | Larger expand of knowledge | Political Science | Being accurate | Chemistry | Computing sciences | Less job opportunities because of less knowledge | Physics | Biology | d. The production and sale of cigarettes must be outlawed for the health of the American public. PRO | CON | Change magnitude smokers because it is outlawed | Finding alternate bad habits | Chemicals found in cigarettes | States loses money on cigarette sales | Stop underage smokers | Have yellow tone on your skin, fingernails and teeth. | Decreased number of smokers | Your lunges bequeath...
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...still have? * 3. Which “level” of government is best-suited to handle various issues? (That is, who should do what?) * 4. Should there be “national” standards or rules in some areas? Which? Can this change? * 5. Which level of government is going to be responsible for funding the ever-growing array of programs in response to demands by the people? * “Types” of Federalism * “Cooperative” Federalism * Modern roots in New Deal Programs; * “Competitive” Federalism * Can be both a battle for scarce resources (money, primarily), but also for power/responsibility * “Coercive” Federalism * Action dictated by national government (“mandates”) McCulloch v. Maryland (see text, pp. 101—102; p. 809) * Expansion of implied powers doctrine, giving the national (federal) government more power; see Article I, Section 8 (last part) * “Power to tax is power to destroy.” States can’t take action, such as a tax, that would put the national government or its creations out of existence Federalism and the Role of Federal Courts * Some examples of courts and Federalism: * McCulloch v. Maryland (1819) * Brown v. Board of Education (1954) * “Voting Rights” cases—requiring some states to take certain actions * June, 2013 decision weakening federal control * D.C. v. Heller (2008--gun...
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...Crime is something that impacts everyone, whether directly as a victim or indirectly through societal and economic costs. From the early 1960s, in the United States, criminological research resulted from individual efforts. The reliance on individual investigators to conduct and oftentimes fund their own research agenda was primarily a function of a lack of funding sources devoted to issues surrounding criminology and criminal justice. However, research in criminal justice has dramatically increased. The period between 1960 and 1980, saw the enormous increase in efforts in the federal government to initiate research projects that were designed to understand the extent of criminal behavior, including the etiology of criminal behavior, as well as the reaction of the criminal justice system to criminal behavior. Although still under supported financially, funded research efforts during this time period gathered much information that helped set the stage for the continuation and expansion of criminological research efforts. Since 1980, there has been a substantial increase in the financial resources afforded to criminological research, which has led to a large number of activities within criminology and criminal justice system. Looking at the social factors of criminals, it is possible to see these factors could influence criminal decision and the way they handle situations. Mary Bell was an eleven- year-old girl, who lived in England in a poverty stricken area, known as...
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