Deck 10: Corrections Today and Tomorrow

Question 1

has the corrections system in the United States grown so much? What are the pros and cons of this growth?

Answer 1

Corrections system:
Corrections system is an agency or network, which manages the prisons, parole and probation board of the criminals.
The growth of corrections system in Country U:
The condition of prison was critical before the introduction of corrections system. The prison did not provide proper health and sanitation facilities to the inmates. Mother prisoners looked after their children in jail.
In recent days, the correction system has outweighed the traditional prison system. There are separate institutions for adults and juveniles. They focus on the rehabilitation. Several disciplinary policies govern the prison. Correction houses have many facilities and there is a regular health checkup for prisoners.
Pros and cons of corrections system are as follows:
The advantages of correction houses are that the prisons are not just to punish the criminals but also to eliminate the criminal activities from the society. The rehabilitation in the correction house helps the criminals to reform themselves and integrate back into the society.
The major disadvantage of correction system is the requirement of funds. The correction houses lack adequate funds to rehabilitate the offenders. The crime rate has increased in the recent days when compared to the earlier era. This has led to overcrowding of prisons and the prisons are not able to provide necessary facilities to all the prisoners.
Conclusion:
The correction houses have more facilities for the prisoners. This will help the prisoners to reform their attitude. It will reduce the crime rates. Thus, correction system is a major step in transforming the society.

Question 2

York City Corrections Commissioner Martin Horn lists several objectives for correctional leadership. Are these the most important goals for correctional leadership? Why or why not?

Answer 2

Correctional leadership:
Correctional leadership is the key role to establish humane treatment in the prison. The correctional officer is the person who is responsible for prisoners' safety
The correctional leader should have the management skills to manage the number of inmates and should have the ability to have a control over them.
Mr. M's objective as a correctional leader:
As a correctional officer, Mr. M aims to reduce
• The suicide rate of prisoners
• Violence in the jail
• The use of drugs in prisons
• Provide health care
• Engage the prisoners in various activities and provide them with job training
• Help the prisoners to get employment after their release
Determine if the above objectives are the most important goals of correctional leadership:
The above mentioned are the most important objectives to be accomplished as a correctional leader. As a correctional officer, one should take care of the prisoner's safety, health, and other issues. They must supervise the activities of the inmates.
Rehabilitation should be provided by the correctional officers which is the process of restoration of physical and mental health of the prisoners.

Question 3

are the alternative philosophies to the punitive philosophy currently in vogue in the U.S. corrections system? Are these alternatives feasible? Preferable?

Answer 3

Punitive philosophy:
Punitive philosophy is punishing someone for his or her wrongdoing or misbehavior. Punitive philosophy aims at two things
• Punishing the lawbreaker
• Prevent others from committing crimes.
The alternative for punitive philosophy is as follows:
The alternative for punitive philosophy is restoration. Restoration is the process of reestablishing the relationship between the offender and victim. Here the offender will take the personal responsibility of the crime. The offender and victim start working together to fix the problem.
The program is beneficial when compared to punitive philosophy. This will help the victim to recover from the damages caused by offender. The offender will take the personal responsibility to recover those damages.
Determine whether the system is feasible:
The system is feasible only when the victim is convinced to work along with the offender.
Determine if the system is preferable:
The system is preferable when compared to punitive philosophy. In punitive approach, the offender will be punished for their wrongdoing. There will not be any benefits for both the offender and victim by this punishment. In restoration, the victim is able to recover the damages and this will stop the offender to commit the crime again.

Question 4

you see yourself in a correctional career? What might you do to improve the corrections system?