This paper will explain what the social problem recidivism is; as well as attempt to explain with three sociological theories why is occurs. The question this paper will work around is what sociological theories can help explain recidivism and why is it even seen as a social problem. Recidivism is at its simplest form defined as the chance that a released prisoner will recommit a criminal act. However the National Institute of Justice gives a much more detailed definition of the concept. They define it has “Recidivism is one of the most fundamental concepts in criminal justice. It refers to a person 's relapse into criminal behavior, often after the person receives sanctions or undergoes intervention for a previous crime. Recidivism is measured by criminal acts that resulted in rearrests, reconviction or return to …show more content…
The theory was developed by Marcus Felson and Lawrence Cohen. It can be defined loosely as an explanation of why crime occurs, using three main components: a suitable target is present, there is a likely offender and there is the absence of a capable guardian. It involves not only environmental factors but also time and space and the intersections of people within both. A suitable target does not necessarily refer to a person it can refer to anything such as an abandon car or empty home, whatever is found most appealing to the crime; the same for lack of a capable guardian. The absence of a capable guardian does not essentially refer to a specific individual it can be the absence of a home security system, or the leaving of a person item unattended or it could be used in reference to a probation office or someone like a parent. The theory focuses on the belief that crime can be committed by anyone if given the opportunity and look at not only offender’s behavior but that of the victims as
Visher is the Principal Research Associate at The Urban Institute, a Washington DC-based think tank that conducts policy research and offers solutions. In the article, Visher begins by asserting that the United States’ criminal justice policies swing from “tough on crime” to “rehabilitation.” The problem of prisoner reentry no longer focuses on just the offender and his/her circumstances, but the broader approach to find new evidence-based solutions. Policy makers are now extremely aware of the prison situation and is now a topic of interest. Although a larger number of prisoners have been released since the 1980s and 1990s, most of them come back. The admission rate of prisoners is higher than that of releasing them. Prisoner reentry is a main policy concern at the state, local and federal level for several reasons. First and foremost is the public safety problem. The recidivism rate has not changed in the past decade or two. One-third of all prison admissions nationwide, are offenders who are being returned to prison for new crimes or technical violations. The second reason is the fiscal implications the prisoner reentry phenomenon has on society. Expenditures on the correctional system has increased six fold in just 25 years. As a result, policy and political attention in the United States has grown, that councils have passed resolutions to deal with the crisis. Some examples of new legislation include the Serious and Violent Offender Reentry Initiative (SVORI)
...y theory, affirms that in order for a crime to be committed, three specific specifications must be involved. These specifications are that there must be a suitable target, a motivated offender, and the absence of a capable guardian. The purpose of this theory is to show that the more criminal behavior in their everyday lifestyle, the higher the likelihood that a person will commit criminal activity.
According to the National Institute of Justice, recidivism is one of the most fundamental concepts in criminal justice. The NIJ defines recidivism as a person’s relapse into criminal behavior, often after receiving sanctions or undergoing intervention for a previous crime. Recidivism is often utilized in evaluating prisons effectiveness in crime control. Reducing recidivism is crucial for probation, parole and to the correctional system overall.
Along with research on the positive affirmations of rehabilitation in prisons, there are studies that expand upon whether or not imprisonment reduces recidivism. During a time of mass incarceration, the goal is to reconstruct a prisoner’s actions so that they do not pose as a threat to society after they are released. However, some cases show that imprisonment may not be the best way to transition an offender toward a more pro-social lifestyle. Cullen, Jonson, & Nagin (2011) depict prisons as places to keep offenders away from the community to prevent crime and less about reconciliation. Prisons are a place for offenders to go so that they cannot commit any more crimes. The offenders spend a wasteful period of life secluded from society in
People are uniquely different and because of this reason, they do have different behaviors. Crime is one kind of behavior that an individual can engage in. They are punishable by the law and may be prosecuted by the state (Helfgott, 2008). There are different theories existing that try to explain the actions of criminals. They deeply explain what causes an individual to commit a criminal activity. This paper discusses some examples of the biological theories, social theories and psychological theories of crime.
This paper examines the advantages and disadvantages of ex-offender reentry. Factors contributing to recidivism include law enforcement officers mistrust for reentry prisoners; lack of familial and community support; difficulties gaining employment due to criminal background, obstacles pertaining to housing. Factors that may reduce recidivism, increase public safety and facilitate ex-offender reintegration transitions, as well as detrimental factors of recidivism are examined. Lastly, the important role of parole officers for ex-offenders and the level of supervision ex-offenders receive are also explored in this paper.
The purpose behind the original construction of prisons and jails were to segregate offenders from the rest of society, thus rehabilitating them through means of punishment. However, the strict “tough on crime” punishment mentality that resulted from the “War on Drugs” movement in the 1980’s, is believed to be one of the largest contributors to rising mass incarceration and recidivism rates exhausting government funds and taxpayer money. The National Institute of Justice reports that “over 75% of released inmates are re-incarcerated within five years of being discharged”, and assert that “the high re-offending rate is due to many U.S. prisons focusing on punishment, rather than on rehabilitation”
Recidivism rate in the United States is extremely high. According to the National institute of Justice, “Within three years of release, about two-thirds (67.8 percent) of released prisoners were rearrested. Within five years of release, about three-quarters (76.6 percent) of released prisoners were rearrested. Of those prisoners who were rearrested, more than half (56.7 percent) were arrested by the end of the first year.” Those who have been in prison are more
An estimated 650,000 offenders are released from prisons each year. Most generally leave with only a few dollars, some clothes, and possibly a bus ticket. Release practices like this are common and can be especially disastrous for mentally ill inmates. If immediately released without access to health care, the mentally ill will suffer from interruption of continuity of care. In prison, they may have been receiving medication, therapy, or other forms of treatment. Interruption of care could lead to excelled deterioration in their mental health. This tends to lead to a higher rate of recidivism among mentally-ill former prisoners. (Hummert, 2011.).
As the current prison structures and sentencing process continues to neglect the issues that current offenders have no change will accrue to prevent recidivism. The issue with the current structure of the prison sentencing process is it does not deal with the “why” the individual is an social deviant but only looks at the punishment process to remove the deviant from society. This method does not allow an offender to return back to society without continuing where they left off. As an offender is punished they are sentenced (removal from society) they continue in an isolated environment (prison) after their punishment time is completed and are released back to society they are now an outsider to the rapidly changing social environment. These individuals are returned to society without any coping skills, job training, or transitional training which will prevent them from continuing down th...
This research paper is focused on released convicts and the struggles they face to become active, progressive members of society. Sadly, these released offenders regularly face discrimination in their job searches, in attempts to secure housing for themselves and their families, and to be accepted by their communities. Without the right support structures in place upon their release, these former prisoners may very well fall back into lives of crime. Without a suitable place to stay, these released offenders may become recidivists, falling back into their familiar roles as law breakers, if only to provide the basic necessities for themselves and their families. Statistically, more than one third of released offenders end up back in jail within a year of their initial release. Through this study, I hoped to shed light on some of the main causes of criminal recidivism using Labeling Theory and Social Learning Theory.
Recidivism refers to the tendency of reversion to criminal activities of the released inmates. It is measured by the frequency with which released offenders return to incarceration for new crimes. The rates reflect on the effectiveness of instituted programs that focus on integrating the released offenders into the society (Schmalleger, 2007). When the rates are healthy, it means that the programs in place are doing well in helping the offender restrain from criminal activities. The importance of correctional programs cannot be downplayed for any reason. The programs whether in the prison or out are effective in saving the nation a huge amount in providing public safety and taxes (Pollock, 2004).
Such an assumption does not refute that some criminals make their own personal choices to break the law but rather it argues that these personal choices are usually caused by certain factors which contribute to criminal behavior. Rehabilitation programs are therefore based on such perspectives where the various correctional programs are designed to deal with criminal enforcing behavior. For example counseling programs could focus on the behavior that led to the criminal offender committing the offense while educational programs could focus on how to change negative behavior to positive behavior. Correctional programs in prison facilities are therefore important in reducing the recurrence of criminal behavior as well as reducing recidivism among probationers and parolees (Barkan & Bryjak, 2009).
All over America, crime is on the rise. Every day, every minute, and even every second someone will commit a crime. Now, I invite you to consider that a crime is taking place as you read this paper. "The fraction of the population in the State and Federal prison has increased in every single year for the last 34 years and the rate for imprisonment today is now five times higher than in 1972"(Russell, 2009). Considering that rate along crime is a serious act. These crimes range from robbery, rape, kidnapping, identity theft, abuse, trafficking, assault, and murder. Crime is a major social problem in the United States. While the correctional system was designed to protect society from offenders it also serves two specific functions. First it can serve as a tool for punishing the offender. This involves making the offender pay for his/her crime while serving time in a correctional facility. On the other hand it can serve as a place to rehabilitate the offender as preparation to be successful as they renter society. The U.S correctional system is a quite controversial subject that leads to questions such as how does our correctional system punish offenders? How does our correctional system rehabilitate offenders? Which method is more effective in reducing crime punishment or rehabilitation? Our correctional system has several ways to punish and rehabilitate offenders.
They both felt that in order for crime to occur three criteria are to be meet. The first criteria is that a suitable target have to be present meaning the individual, object or item. Secondly the absence of a capable guardian meaning an individual that is able to protect the suitable target a pet, sign, etc. Lastly the presents of a motived offender. If for any reasons any of the criteria are absence crime a will not occur. Cohen and Felson also found Alter the Routine Activities Theory: could make a suitable target less desirable and attractive, create a perception that a capable guardian is there, and alter the social circumstance for offenders to get, earn, or obtain the suitable target. While Cohen and Felson where explaining their criteria of how a crime must happen other where trying to found way to prevent crime from