With the issue of crime, the levels of criminal recidivism and high rates of incarceration becoming more and a more serious, there has been a need to find ways of reducing the emphasis on punishment within the US criminal justice system. One of the ways through which this objective can be achieved has been found after years of studies and research to lie in rehabilitation as an alternative mechanism for dealing with criminal offenders within the justice system. Thus, there have been calls to integrate rehabilitation and punishment as a parallel strategy of controlling crime and recidivism.
The Theoretical Perspectives of Rehabilitation Strategies
The main philosophy which underpins rehabilitation as a crime control and prevention strategy according to Andrews and Bonta (2015) is the idea that the adoption of alternatives such as counselling to punishment or incarceration of criminals may help them to reform their criminal behavior and return back to the society as law abiding citizens. As a programming or treatment method for criminal offenders and crime prevention strategy that aims at stopping g offenders from reoffending, rehabilitation is based on the notion that “offenders can change and lead crime-free lives in the community” (Webster, 2004, p. 115). Moreover, as Raynor and Robinson (2009) argue, the other theoretical perspective on rehabilitation as a crime control strategy and its justification is the belief that it helps in risk reduction and public safety for both the offenders and the society. Moreover, it is also based on the idea that by rehabilitating criminal offenders, the justice system is eased of the pressure and burden of having to keep offenders in prison cells with prison facilities and capacities diminishing. Another philosophical underpinning of rehabilitation is the need to help an offender to change certain aspects of their personality such as cognitive processes, attitude, mental health or personality disorders that are believed to be the cause of criminal behavior.
Differences between Punishment and Rehabilitation
The main difference between rehabilitation and punishment as crime control strategies in the criminal justice system is that while rehabilitation focuses on the treatment and social or medical transformation of the offender, punishment is focused solely on holding the offender accountable for their crime. Moreover, whereas rehabilitation gives an offender the opportunity to learn about their condition or problems that force them into crime and hence reform, punishment or incarceration does not afford this chance but confines and restrains the offender. Further, rehabilitation helps one to prepare themselves for reentry back into the society while punishment does not hence once one is through with their prison term, they are released into the community. Also, the cost of running punishment of through prison or incarceration facilities is usually higher than that of managing rehab centers. Additionally, rehabilitation helps an offender to deal with social problems such as alcohol, drugs or substance abuse, violent behavior, addiction to gambling while punishment does not offer such treatment programs.
Merging Rehab and Punishment
Punishment and rehabilitation may be merged or integrated as new means and methods of managing recidivism using a number of ways. First, these two strategies may be merged through the simultaneous application of both strategies within the criminal justice system. This may also be done through the introduction of psychological treatment for prisoners with mental health problems who may be a risk to both the prison inmates and the public on their release. Furthermore, employment od counselling officers to provide counselling services to offenders serving prions terms may also be a new way of applying rehab alongside punishment. This may also be done by coming up with a comprehensive offender reintegration policy programs and establishing systems within the criminal justice system to implement them in incarceration facilities. Emphasis on restorative justice could also be used as a method of integrating rehabilitation the punishment process by involving various stakeholders affected by the crime in finding a solution.
In conclusion, one of the most important insights that came through the analysis of punishment and rehabilitation integration is that such a step will help reduce rates of recidivism since it will help offenders cope well with their criminal behaviors. For, through rehabilitation, the offender is not only assisted to get back to the society as a transformed individual, but is also enabled to find meaningful activities and programs or employment that would help them to stay out of crime.
References
Andrews, D., & Bonta, J. (2015). The psychology of criminal conduct. New York: Routledge.
Raynor, P., & Robinson, G. (2009). Why help offenders? Argument for rehabilitation as a penal strategy. European Journal of Production, 1(1), 3-20. Retrieved May 3, 2016, from www.ejprob.ro
Webster, C. M. (2004). Limits of justice: The role of the criminal justice system in reducing crime. In B. Kidd, & J. Phillips, Research on community safety (pp. 96-124). Toronto: Centre of Criminology, University of Toronto.
