Treatment or Punishment? What's your take?
Corrections One has released a special report on the Custody vs. Treatment Debate.  What's your opinion? — Which is more important in a correctional facility: Treatment or custody? |
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Here are the articles:
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By David Fathi, Human Rights Watch |
| American and Canadian societies are similar in many ways – people eat the same foods, watch the same movies, listen to the same music, and make many visits across the border. But these similarities conceal profound differences. For one, the U.S. incarceration rate is more than six times as high as Canada’s, and the United States has a homicide rate more than three times as high as its northern neighbor ... Full Story |
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By Dr. Bruce Bayley, Weber State University |
| Whenever the debate of imprisonment versus rehabilitation arises, the discussion turns to the concept of deterrence. Those who believe in the virtues of rehabilitation frequently cite the "fact" that incarceration is not a deterrent to crime. This is what I call one of the two 'Great Lies' in the treatment versus punishment debate ... Full Story |
Here's a little of what people are saying:
| Oneknight55:"Thank you for the informative article. I've been on both sides of the debate (treatment vs incarceration) and have seen both methods work, but not in sufficient numbers to claim any sort of "victory". Basically it boils down to; if you have made Crime your career choice, "we will leave the light on for you"." | Mark:"I work at three different types of correctional facilities. I believe that it really and truly does come down to the very basic right of every individual: Choice. No matter how hard times get there is always a point where you choose." |
Make your voice heard on this important issue. Leave your thoughts here!
Views: 254
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Fred on -
As long as I've worked in corrections, I've seen both jail and rehab work. BUT only for those who fully intended to make it work. Most others do not care about being incarcerated because it is time off the streets so they can sleep, eat, get medical attenton, and catch up with their friends and family. To them, rehab is only a means to get out of jail and do what they want. They often find more drugs in rehab than on the street. So, it is there for those who want it and also for those who know how to manipulate the system to get out of jail.
Fred
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Permalink Reply by Luke Allan Whyte on -
Fred,
What you said makes a lot of sense. Like anything, it seems you've got to want it to make it work.
Check out this comment that 'tuffelhund2003' left on Dr. Bayley's article. I think it's a smart analysis:
"Dr. Bayley, What you present in your article is correct, prisons and jails can only be a deterrent to the individual incarcerated, not the general public. In the debate of incarceration v. rehabilitation often times it is forgotten that to provide rehabilitation you have to have firm control of the facilities that the inmates are housed in. John Diiuilo did a study of Texas, Michigan, and California Corrections in his 1987 book Governing Prisons: A Comparative Study of Correctional Management. What he found was that if inmates do not feel safe because of a lack of security at the facility they will not attend classes, work, or other programs. First, we have to make our facilities the safest they can be if we really want offenders to seek the rehabilitation for themselves."
~ Luke W (C1 editor)
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Permalink Reply by George Sklinchar on -
Liberals who have never walked a block are promulgating programs inside the wire based on college modules that do not reflect the mindset of the criminal element. They assume that since they would respond in a certain manner, everyone else would do the same. This is blatently not true. Administrators are hiding actual data since upper management is fiduciary and we all worry about keeping our jobs. Reports go in showing everything is just fine ( on paper ), but in reality, we are losing control every single day. If you want to see what reality of current corrections is just looked at the recidivism rates. Under the old "crime and punishment", we had a 15% recidivism. Our new, progressive "rehabilitation and corrections" is now running in excess of 80%. There is NO deterrence inside the wire. Inmates are running protection rackets. Every time we close one loophole for smuggling contraband, another is thought up. Gang activity is at the worst levels we have had in years. As Corrections professionals, our hands are tied. Every action we make is under a microscope with everyone worrying about being politically correct, but we are called every name under the sun with no actions taken against the inmates. The prison factories are gone. Inmates sit around all day watching TV, working out or going to the legal library lookiing for a loophole to overturn their case. No values are instilled to induce an inmate to get up and go to work when he gets out. The public burden of the cost of their incarceration is skyrocketing and we still do not want to "offend" anyone by making them actually get up, go to work and produce products that can be sold on the public market to help reduce our financial burdens. If the powers that be want to actually see what corrections is about and see what the inmate's mind set truly is, put on a grey uniform, go to a prison as a new Officer and work a block for 3 months. I will guarantee that what they will experience will be nothing like what they studied in college.
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Permalink Reply by Dr. Bruce Bayley on
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Hello George,
Thank you for your comments. I enjoyed reading your thoughts, but please remember that within the context of a debate on punishment versus rehabilitation, the focus on deterrence is made with respect to the inmates' ability to re-offend against society outside of the walls and not those offenses that occur within. The dynamic you mention, however, is a very tangible reality and just one of the many challenges officers face when working within our current correctional system. All the best and please be safe in all you do.....
Dr. Bayley
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Permalink Reply by David E.Lentz on
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Incarceration deters the individual from inflicting more damage to society while they are locked up. I'm sick of the liberal notion that criminals are just unfortunate victims who were caught in a bad way. If they had a pscho trying to cut their throat like I have had while on duty they might get a dose of reality about dangerous felons. Canada, by the way, has had some of the most notorious serial killers in the world in their country.
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