Effects Of Rehabilitation In Rehabilitation

867 Words2 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: Prison and its effectiveness

Rehabilitation is more effective than punishment in deterring criminals from reoffending after imprisonment, there for reducing overall recidivism rates. Evidence clearly demonstrates that punitive approaches alone are not acting as a strong enough deterrent against re-offense. According to the findings of the Australian Institute of criminology (Payne, 2007 p.11) 2 in 3 convicted prisoners would have been previously imprisoned, with 1 in 4 being reconvicted within three months of release and between 35-41% of adult prisoners being imprisoned within two years of being released.
These statistics highlight the need for more rehabilitation programs within prisons systems and are an indication that prisons are not effectively rehabilitating …show more content…

A large proportion of Australian prisoners suffer from a range of mental health issues as well as drug and alcohol abuse and dependency. In many cases these issues are associated with criminal behaviour and are the main contributor of crime, re-offense and incarceration. Rehabilitation is effective in treating these issues, placing value on the prisoner and allowing offenders to break the substance abuse cycle. Overcoming mental health issues and substance abuse is effective l in preventing further crime, drug and alcohol abuse. Prison punishment alone however relies on short term approaches that supress negative behaviour and substance use for the time of incarceration. “For drug-using offenders, imprisonment can enforce a substantial reduction in drug use and, as a result, drug tolerance. The transition from prison back into the community is particularly hazardous for drug-using offenders whose tolerance for heroin has been reduced by imprisonment” (Merrall et al., 2010). Mental illness is more common amongst prison populations than the general populations. According to The Health of Australia’s prisoners 2010 (AIHW), the prevalence of at least one mental health disorder linked to drug and alcohol use was 80% in prisons and only 31% in the general public. It was estimated that 1 in 10 prisoners in custody …show more content…

et al. (2010). Meta-analysis of drug-related deaths soon after release from prison. Addiction, 105(9), (pp.1545-1554). Retrieved from http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1360-0443.2010.02990.x

Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (2011). The health of Australia 's prisoners 2010. Canberra, ACT: Australian Institute of Health and Welfare.

Callan, Victor J, Gardener, J. (2007). Vocational education and training for adult prisoners and offenders in Australia: research readings. Dawe, S (Ed.), The role of VET in recidivism in Australia (pp. pp.35-46). Adelaide, South Australia: NCVER, 2007. Retrieved from http://www.ncver.edu.au /publications/1789.html

Payne, J. (2007). Recidivism in Australia (p.11). Canberra: Australian Institute of Criminology, 2007. Retrieved from

Show More
Related

  • RNR Model Analysis

    1101 Words  | 3 Pages

    These women have been increasingly going to jail for longer periods of time for minor crimes, the most frequent crimes that are being convicted are mostly related to drug and alcohol related crimes as well as theft (Mental Health Coordinating Council, 2010). A survey conducted in New South Wales of female inmates had concluded that; 80% are current smokers, 78% have used an illicit drug(s), 67% were unemployed in the six months prior to incarceration, and 66% of these women had also been in a violent/abusive relationship (Mental Health Coordinating Council, 2010). It has been argued that the risk factors for offenders are derived from that of genetic theories of crime and that they are an adequate guide for correctional supervision and treatment-planning decisions for females, however others argue that this approach is highly flawed and does not take into account gender differences (Rettinger & Andrews 2010). This is an issue in the CJS and its importance cannot be undervalued, the assessment for the risk and need has implications for the assignment of female offenders to a correction option that is the least restrictive, the assignment to an appropriate intervention dosage, appropriate targeting of criminogenic needs, and an understanding of female offending (Rettinger & Andrews 2010). Due to the increasingly large number

    Read More

  • Mental Health Disorders in the Criminal Justice System: Annotated Bibliography

    2216 Words  | 5 Pages

    Australian Institute of Criminology, 2007, The identification of mental health disorders in the criminal justice system, prepared by Ogloff, J.R.P., Davis, M.R., Rivers, G. and Ross, S., Australian Institute of Criminology, Canberra.

    Read More

  • Canada Should Focus More on Rehabilitation and Less on Retribution

    3232 Words  | 7 Pages

    Wormith, J. S., Althouse, R., Simpson, M., Reitzel, L. R., Fagan, T. J., & Morgan, R. D. (2007). The rehabilitation and reintegration of offenders: The current landscape and some future directions for correctional psychology. Criminal Justice and Behavior, 34(7), 879-892.

    Read More

  • Analysis Of Parole And Prison Reentry

    961 Words  | 2 Pages

    In America millions of offenders including men and women leave imprisonment in hope to return to their family and friends. On an article Prisoners and Reentry: Facts and Figures by The Annie E. Casey Foundation, in the year 2001 1.5 million children were reunited with their parents as they were released from prison. Also in 2005 the number of that passed prison gates were 698,499 and the number of prisoners that were released was approximated at about 9 million. Parole and Prison reentry has been a topic that really interests not only a lot of the communities around the world but is a topic that interest me. Recidivism is not only the topic that interests people but the offenders that get off on parole and how they cope with society after they

    Read More

  • Sexual Assault in Australia

    715 Words  | 2 Pages

    344. The. Australian Institute of Criminology, [Online]. Available at: http://www.aic.gov.au/documents/0/C/5/%7B0C5DFDDF-7A72-43F9-80A1-CA6D51B635B6%7Dtandi344.pdf, [Accessed 14 April 2011].

    Read More

  • Crime is a contested and complex concept. Discuss

    820 Words  | 2 Pages

    Weatherburn, D., and Indermaur, D. (2004) ‘Public perceptions of crime trends in New South Wales and Western Australia’, Contemporary Issues in Crime and Justice, 80: 1-8

    Read More

  • Issues In The Australian Prison System

    1360 Words  | 3 Pages

    But as will be discussed, there are major flaws in the Australian criminal justice system with issues focussing on three main concerns: (i) lenient sentencing in the criminal justice system particularly with white-collar and blue-collar crimes (i) recidivism and lack of support for offenders (iii) public safety concerns. This essay will examine issues with the Australian prison system, and explore the punishment of shaming and if it is an effective method in preventing general and specific deterrence using sociological frameworks and theories.

    Read More

  • Crime And Media Analysis

    1098 Words  | 3 Pages

    The general public of Australia has a common aspect when associated with their sources of knowledge of crime. Many would agree the media, especially newspapers and television, are their most frequent and well known source of crime activity. The media updates society with data about the extent, frequency and types of crimes committed (Moston and Coventry, 2011, p.53). Studies highlight our grasp of crime is majorly derived from the media, with a lack of exposure to police statistics or victimisation surveys. There is a concern in correlation to this fact since the media has inconsistency and inaccuracy in reporting crime. Due to this, the media can misrepresent victims and perpetrators, downsizing them to recognisable stereotypes (Moston and

    Read More

  • Sentencing Of The Criminal Justice System

    1353 Words  | 3 Pages

    ...ystem and are seen as a credible sentencing option because of the restorative and rehabilitative effect it has on offenders by allowing them the opportunity to give something back to the community and providing them with education and work experience. There is a lack of evidence to suggest that rehabilitation is neither an effective or non-effective sanction. The use of probation as a stand-alone sanction has decreased over the years with probation now being combined with more severe sentences. When combined with rehabilitative programs probation reduced crime outcomes by 16.7%. The common perception of the general public is that increasing the severity of sentencing will reduce crime, however empirical evidence suggest that this is not the appropriate response. Public dissatisfaction with sentencing in Tasmania is often due to a lack of knowledge and understanding.

    Read More

  • The Prison System

    1071 Words  | 3 Pages

    Canada reached its utmost population rate in 2013, with 15,000 inmates; this is a drastic increase of 75% in the past decade. Incarceration rates are rapidly increasing as crime rates decrease. Upon release, former prisoners have difficulty adapting into society and its social norms. Criminologist, Roger Graef states that, "the vast majority of inmates, the loss of local connections with family, job, and home sentences them again to return to crime." Prisoners often result in lethargy, depression, chronic apathy, and despair, making them ultimately rigid and unable to assimilate back into the public. Depression, claustrophobia, hallucinations, problems with impulse control, and/or an impaired ability to think, concentrate, or remember are experienced by prisoners who are isolated for a protracted amount of time; research has indicated that prisons can cause amenorrhea, aggressive behaviour, impaired vision and hearing, weakening of the immune system, and premature menopause. With the lack of system programs, the constant violence, and the social isolation, the prison system fails to prepare prisoners for reintegration to society. Prisons do not provide the proper structural functionalism to rehabilitate former long-term prisoners into society.

    Read More

  • We Are Spending Too Much On Prisons

    1059 Words  | 3 Pages

    Works Cited Federal Bureau of Prisons : http://www.bop.gov/ Inciardi, Dr. James A., A Corrections-Based Continuum of Effective Drug Abuse Treatment. National Criminal Justice Reference Service. Available: http://www.ncjrs.org/txtfiles/contdrug.txt. Butterfield, Fox. The "Prison: Where the Money Is."

    Read More

  • Recidivism In The Justice System

    730 Words  | 2 Pages

    Recidivism is a major problem in the United States, as nearly two-thirds of those released from prison, reoffend. In fact, in many cases those who were initially incarcerated for non-violent crimes, often escalate to violence, after release from prison. A U.S. Department of Justice special report released in 2014, entitled: Recidivism of

    Read More

  • Pros And Cons Of Reform Vs. Punishment

    1601 Words  | 4 Pages

    Many people idealized the relevancy of living in a civilized world, where those who break the law are reprimanded in a less traditional sense of punishment in today’s standard. Instead of just doing hard time, programs and services could and should be provided to reform and rehabilitate prisoner. Despite standard beliefs, many individuals in prison are not harden criminals and violent offenders, many of these people suffer mental illness and substance abuse Hoke

    Read More

  • Imprisonment is Ineffective as Punishment

    1773 Words  | 4 Pages

    2nd ed. of the book. USA: Penguin Books, Ltd. [Accessed 01 January 2014]. The Prison Reform Trust.

    Read More

  • Pros and Cons of Death Penalty

    623 Words  | 2 Pages

    The argument that murderer’s are the least likely of all criminals to repeat their crime is not only irrelevant, but also increasingly false. Six percent of young adults paroled in 1978 after having been convicted of murder were arrested for murder again within six years of release (“Recidivism of Young Parolees”).

    Read More

More about Effects Of Rehabilitation In Rehabilitation

Open Document