Introduction
Community corrections programs are not that common in Saudi Arabia. Saudi Arabia has been recognized in the world as having a very harsh criminal justice system that sometimes does not have concern for human rights. However, there are certain aspects of its prison system such as distance education that allows individuals to continue their education and enhance their ability to acquire jobs after they finish their sentences. Nonetheless, the community corrections program that is currently trying to be implemented aims at trying to correct and change deviant thoughts of arrested individuals that are involved in acts of terrorism. This is being done through the establishment of the Prince Mohammed bin Naïf for Counseling and Care Center (Arabnews, 2016).
Currently, the major criminal threat to Saudi Arabia is the act of terrorism that is being perpetrated on innocent lives. Even though security measures are constantly being improved, they have not been adequate in preventing incidents of terrorism. As such, the Saudi government has taken a step further in introducing a corrections program that targets individuals with extremist thoughts and tries to counsel them to correct their deviant ways. According to Arabnews (2016), the program has succeeded in at least 90% of cases relating to fighting extremist thoughts.
Conclusion
According to Guevara and Solomon (2009), community corrections are intended to achieve the best outcome in providing public safety. Consequently, if an assessment through a program such as the one being implemented by the Saudi government achieves an improvement or desired results in offender reformation then automatically public safety is enhanced (Hanser, 2010). Traditional imprisonments systems may not have these effects especially in cases such as terrorism where the problem can only be dealt with by addressing individual thoughts of the arrested individuals. Individuals who undergo change through counseling can inspire others to reform their extremist ways.
References
Arabnews, (2016). Victims of terrorism get their rights with the implementation of the law. Retrieved January 26, 2016, from http://www.arabnews.com/saudi-arabia/news/859561
Guevara, M., and Solomon, E. (2009). Implementing Evidence-Based Policy and Practice in Community Corrections. Retrieved from http://static.nicic.gov/Library/024107.pdf
Hanser, R. D. (2010). Community corrections. Los Angeles: Sage.
