CORRECTIONAL PROGRAMS 2
Running Head: CORRECTIONAL PROGRAMS
Name
Institution
Date
Chapter 1
In contrasting crime and politics, it’s important to note that the policies developed are directed toward the elimination of criminal activities. Development of correctional approaches in a way it requires compromise on the laid down policies to incorporate other solutions to criminal justice rather than the already laid down. The basis of correctional approaches, therefore, is the crime. The contrast helps give the guidelines to the jurisdiction carrying out the practice on which policies on which to base their actions.
The advantages accrued through the incorporation of this concept are; they help decongest the prison facilities. The approach also provides an avenue for rehab of minor offenders thus giving them another chance. However, this approach can be seen as a means of encouraging criminal activities since approach substitutes punishment with rehabilitation.
- correctional technology is not the complex scientific technology but refers to the approach used by the authorities when dealing with people who require correction. These approaches include; behavioral modification of the criminal, use of group therapy and training the criminals on anger management. Despite increased skills in human behavior management, these technologies highly remain a doubt when it comes to the expected results. The main reason as to why this technology fail is because of the complexity of human nature, which in most cases keep on changing, especially when they have been exposed to different environments. The correctional approach is not effective in criminal justice; this is because their programs are questionable in transforming human behavior. A human being can temporarily change behavior to be released but end up committing a bigger crime in the future.
Different correctional officer despite having trained on the approach will tend to use different approaches towards the rehab program. The difference in approaches will lead to different results altogether, this is because there will be no standardization on the approaches to be used.
Street bureaucracy as used by Lipsy means the correction officers who link with the citizen as they carry out their duties and offer avenues for the citizens to access the government programs. These interactions involve engaging people like; the social workers, teachers, police officers among others.
As a commissioner tasked with effectiveness in the correctional approach, there are some of the technologies I would avoid. Some of these technologies include the use of group therapy, dealing with a group is hard as it is composed of different members with different attitude and perception. The approach would instead include the use of individualized therapy programs. Increasing the duration for community service would add on the punishment and at the same time help to contain the crime rate.
Chapter 2
A correctional program is based on the operational premise laid down by the political, social, cultural, economic and legal factors of the environment on which it’s operating. Changes in either of these factors lead to change in the entire program to fit in the new changes. A change in policies, for instance, will mean a redefinition of different crimes and their correspondent punishment. Due to this, the correction programs have to be readjusted to fit into these new policies.
Understanding human behavior enables the correction program to subject their client to different treatment. Due to this the punishment termed valid for an adult may be unfair to a juvenile, the approach, therefore, helps isolate the kids from a heavy penalty and punish them based on their level of judgment.
The core reason as to why the program was developed was to ensure that citizens engaged in the first class offense were reasonably punished. The administrators leading this programs, however, have become corrupt and thus including major criminals viable for the program. The plan can be seen to have been developed as a way of expressing more humanity to the fellow citizens by the law enforcers. The approach idea was conceived first after the New York prison after which prison was perceived as a horrible place. Imprisonment, therefore, was perceived as a very harsh punishment. Citizens love to their family members influenced the development of the correctional program. Another factor was the societal development which shows the minors treated differently from the adults for the sake of future generations.
CHAPTER 3
The idea of creating a prison system was to ensure that the criminals stopped suffering in the hands of the society members. The criminals were not given an avenue for rehabilitation and by that being denied a second chance. The creation of this system in New York and Pennsylvanian was thus to protect the criminals from being mishandled by the members of the society. The idea also had been conceived by a Pennsylvanian who died before they can actualize it. Later the leadership decided to achieve the concept. The core reason was to give the criminals an avenue through which they could reform and change their behavior at the same time protecting them. The increase in the number of prisons has come up due to the increased populations of inmates which led to the creation of more facilities to hold the population.
Imprisonment is not the best solution to all the crimes; some minor crimes can be fully punished without necessary sending the culprits to prison. There are various forms of punishment which can be adopted these include; community service, rehabilitation programs, anger management training, home detention among others. Many people have been convicted and currently are serving life sentences. The increased number of prisoners calls for other forms of punishment to ensure that the capacity of the prisons is maintained. Some punishment to decongest the prisons may include; retribution and smart on crime initiatives. These might be the dominant approaches in the future.
Correctional approaches are aimed at ensuring that the punishment is not very severe, to enhance the effectiveness of the program the current society must ensure that the lives of the ordinary citizens are not endangered. Policy change should be effected to ensure that law and order are maintained.