Ajs504: Punishment Versus Rehabilitation

Punishment Versus Rehabilitation

Isabel Nevarez

University of Phoenix

AJS/504

Nicholas Russo

August 16, 2015

This paper, I will discuss the issues of punishment versus rehabilitation. I will point out issues on how punishment and rehabilitation affects deterrence of crime, how it affects victims and their family. I will also discuss how it affects offenders, the impact it has on society, and the fiscal impact upon society. Punishment and rehabilitation helps the inmate in different ways.  This will show both pros and cons to punishment and rehabilitation.

Punishment versus Rehabilitation

The criminal justice system has four objectives. I will be talking about two of them punishment and rehabilitation. When talking about these two objectives, society looks at these two with high prospects and will the justice system live up to these expectations. The justice system and the community has opinions on how each should work and how they will not work. Each one will be addressed.  

Deterrence of Crime

Deterrence theory is that if  one commits a crime the benefit should outweigh the crime itself, if not the individual will think twice before committing another crime. The theory does not explain criminal behavior, to prevent crime from occurring the law will show through punishment, but the punishment should outweigh the potential crime. With the two components of deterrence punishment dispensed to the wrong doer to prevent them from recommitting the crime, and put the fear of punishment in others will prevent others from committing similar crimes. Crime has been part of society for centuries, and the common form of punishment is to be put in prison. Many times incarceration is a temporary fix for offender research shows “recidivism amongst convicted felons following release from prison is as high as 63%” and most of the inmates had arrest records and convictions prior to the incarceration of their current offense (Carson & Mulako-Wangota, 1989).  Over years many have debated that life or death sentence can be deterrence to crime do to contribute to the effectiveness of punishment.

Others agree that rehabilitation is a permanent fix. Rehabilitation has long-term effect on offenders since it would prevent future crime from happening. Also rehabilitation changes the criminal behavior, and get them adapted back in to society by giving them an education or trade. Many offenders have the opportunity to learn a trade or even get a college degree while being incarcerated. By giving offenders an education or skill, when they get released offenders can find jobs and it allows the offender to have a sense of existence in the community. When offenders use rehabilitation programs they can engage in therapy such as drug therapy for those with a substance abuse addictions, and for those that has been abused or are abusive could use the psychological counseling they have to offer. These offenders do their time and prior to being paroled out they are required to go into a half-way house or a drug rehab facility.  When offenders get involved with any type of rehabilitation program their view to commit crimes change and they will no longer desire to commit a crime. Many of them come out with the hope to find a job and be lawful citizens.