Jasjit Johal
Professor Lamees Al Ethari
ENGL 140R (Section 007)
October 23, 2014 Importance of Rehabilitation
Historically, the Criminal Justice System is one of the oldest institutions in the Western world (Macdonald 1). It remains for the purpose of delivering justice to all citizens with the most specific function being to punish those who impose a threat to the safety of society (MacDonald 1). Many individuals do not realize the insufficiency of the system, including the unpleasant results on recidivism the Criminal Justice System generates statistically. For penal institutions to become successful deterrents, they must address the initial issues causing the individual to participant in criminal behavior. In other terms, penal institutions …show more content…
Within prison, inmates form new self-identities, they begin identifying as an inmate rather than a member of society causing an “adverse effect on their ability to successfully reintegrate and increasing their chances of recidivism” (MacDonald 3). The current penal institutions are corrupted, as inmates feel encouraged and reinforced to participate in criminal behavior to be accepted amongst fellow inmates. For example, majority of inmates would like to be in the position of leading a prison gang or even become members, as there are privileges involved and people that have your back. Moreover, prisoners share ideas and validate each other’s criminal activities as well as help scheme plans to get away with continuing drug habits and etc. To eliminate the negative influences lurking in prison, rehabilitation serves the purpose of ensuring prisoners influence one another positively so they can better themselves as well as the environment around them (Rwanda N.p). Research done by Cullen, Jonson and Nagin in 2011 revealed, “within three years of release, 67.5 percent of the prisoners were rearrested for a new offense, 46.9 percent were reconvicted for a new crime, and 25.4 percent were resentenced to prison” (McDonald 3) Statistics like such raise red flags and open the floor for new ideas or programs such as rehabilitation. J. Diaz, a criminal rehabilitation expert, reported the successful story of 30 men known, as the most dangerous men in the Mexican prison whom when rehabilitated were able to be drug-free and learn how to live without criminal behavior (Shea 1). These individuals were on heroin for up to 25 years and were not approached with less than five guards at a given time (Shea 1). Rehabilitation acts as a method of teaching by regularly working with inmates and observing the
Professor Lamees Al Ethari
ENGL 140R (Section 007)
October 23, 2014 Importance of Rehabilitation
Historically, the Criminal Justice System is one of the oldest institutions in the Western world (Macdonald 1). It remains for the purpose of delivering justice to all citizens with the most specific function being to punish those who impose a threat to the safety of society (MacDonald 1). Many individuals do not realize the insufficiency of the system, including the unpleasant results on recidivism the Criminal Justice System generates statistically. For penal institutions to become successful deterrents, they must address the initial issues causing the individual to participant in criminal behavior. In other terms, penal institutions …show more content…
Within prison, inmates form new self-identities, they begin identifying as an inmate rather than a member of society causing an “adverse effect on their ability to successfully reintegrate and increasing their chances of recidivism” (MacDonald 3). The current penal institutions are corrupted, as inmates feel encouraged and reinforced to participate in criminal behavior to be accepted amongst fellow inmates. For example, majority of inmates would like to be in the position of leading a prison gang or even become members, as there are privileges involved and people that have your back. Moreover, prisoners share ideas and validate each other’s criminal activities as well as help scheme plans to get away with continuing drug habits and etc. To eliminate the negative influences lurking in prison, rehabilitation serves the purpose of ensuring prisoners influence one another positively so they can better themselves as well as the environment around them (Rwanda N.p). Research done by Cullen, Jonson and Nagin in 2011 revealed, “within three years of release, 67.5 percent of the prisoners were rearrested for a new offense, 46.9 percent were reconvicted for a new crime, and 25.4 percent were resentenced to prison” (McDonald 3) Statistics like such raise red flags and open the floor for new ideas or programs such as rehabilitation. J. Diaz, a criminal rehabilitation expert, reported the successful story of 30 men known, as the most dangerous men in the Mexican prison whom when rehabilitated were able to be drug-free and learn how to live without criminal behavior (Shea 1). These individuals were on heroin for up to 25 years and were not approached with less than five guards at a given time (Shea 1). Rehabilitation acts as a method of teaching by regularly working with inmates and observing the