Offender Deterrence: A Case Study

The tension between rehabilitation and punishment has been increasing dramatically. This is because there have been sharp rises in the prison population and repeat offender rates. When one area is over emphasized in relation to the other, there is the possibility that imbalances will occur. Over the course of time, these issues can create challenges that will impact the criminal justice system and society at large. (Gadek, 2010) (Clear, 2011) (Gatotch, 2011)

“Forgiveness, assert Fincham and his colleagues, can help restore more benevolent and cooperative goals to relationships” Everett L. Worthington, Jr.(2004). New Science of Forgiveness.

In her article, “Condemn the Crime, Not the Person,” June Tangney argues that shaming causes more harm than good. She focuses on alternatives to traditional sentences instead of shaming and incarceration. As a more recent trend, officials are using shaming sentences more and more. Tangney states that it is important to know the distinction between shame and guilt. Tangney states, that research has shown feeling of guilt “involve a sense of tension and regret over the bad thing done.” Guilt makes people feel bad. It makes them want to change their behavior whereas shame does not motivate people to feel better and they are less likely to stop their wrong behavior (577). She also states that scientific evidence suggested publicly shaming a person makes a problem instead of creating a constructive change in them and individuals may hide and escape the shameful feelings and try to blame others (577). In conclusion, Tangney suggest community service as a sentence for offenders to pay their debt to society for their wrongdoing, been linked to the crime they did. Her tone is informative and innovative and keeps the reader interested while reading. However, this article displays weakness in term of the evidence the author presents, it is one sided and does not provide evidence her suggestion for community service as a sentence option works. Therefore, it fails to persuade the reader.

Thematic Statement: Forgiving someone for their mistake can make yourself free of anger and bitterness.

Other punitive measures, that have developed out of the just deserts mentality, such as three-strikes laws, which required life sentences for those with three convictions, as well as Scared Straight programs and boot camps, have negligible or detrimental effects to recidivism (Andrews & Bonta, 2010). Studies have repeatedly shown that long prison sentences and lack of rehabilitation actually increases the likelihood of reoffending (Canadian Civil Liberties Association [CCLA], 2011). While using punitive measures in the name of retribution may make those in society feel safe, there is no evidence to support this approach.

To begin with, forgiving people who wronged you comes in handy since it helps you live a longer and healthier life. According to the informational text “Understanding Forgiveness” written by PBS, it states that people who forgive have “ [f]ewer stress-related health issues” and their

Unacknowledged Shame Theory is seen in a perspective that shame can cause a destructive emotion and can promote crime instead of preventing it if it is not managed positively. By using apology in return for forgiveness symbolises that reparation can commence (Braithwaite, 2004).

The guidelines for repairing harm requires that, to the best extent attainable, offenders take responsibility and take action to make things right with those individuals who were harmed (Bazemore & Maruna, 2009). Reentry and recidivism is unmistakably a test for all involved. In the course of recent decades, the United States has encountered imprisonment rates that have almost quintupled, with 1,610,584 prisoners currently incarcerated in state and

his paper examines multiple factors that help determine reasons for why there is such a great amount of people relapsing back into criminal behavior once released, which only leads them into a federal or state prison. Recidivism can be perceived into different category’s based upon the why factor. Criminal acts that result in rearrests, and reconviction or return to prison with or without new a new sentence during a three-year period following the prisoner’s release is considered recidivism. There are many different reasons why a person goes back into prison once being released, whether by choice or force or even just nature of habit. Many studies have been conducted to find a pattern or reason on why recidivism is so common. Available

Very little work has focused on studying recidivism by offenders after punishment and how prevention measures may improve recidivism rates and affect cooperation. “National recidivism rates are at an estimated amount of 73% and of the whole jail population 42.5% are women” (Berenji, 2014, p.131). As you can see about half of the inhabitants of the jails are women; so recidivism is an ongoing issue that needs to be solved. Recidivism is a growing distress in the U.S today, not only with men but women as well. Not many studies have been steered towards women reverting back to crime as there are men, but it is a concern. It is impossible to make this issue disappear fully, but with fundamental changes the

Currently in the United Kingdom there are youth offending specialist teams who work exclusively with juvenile offenders and their victims. As part of this diversionary program, juvenile probation officers organize restorative conferencing with the offender, the victim, the probation officer and community representatives, if appropriate. The conference involves the offender in a written agreement with the victim - as a form of apology, reparation, and restitution. A crucial principle of restorative justice is that the victim is compensated by the offender - for example, by working in their garden, painting a garage or shed etc. In this way the victim can be compensated and where reconciliation is achieved between victim and perpetrator,

Over many years there has been great debate about whether rehabilitation reduces the rate of recidivism in criminal offenders. There has been great controversy over whether anything works to reduce recidivism and great hope that rehabilitation would offer a reduction in those rates. In this paper I will introduce information and views on the reality of whether rehabilitation does indeed reduce recidivism. Proposed is a quasi-experiment, using a group of offenders that received rehabilitation services and an ex post facto group that did not? I intend to prove that rehabilitation services do

The general topic of forgiveness has received a magnitude of attention and research on a conceptual level in recent years. Hall and Fincham consistently noted, however, that self-forgiveness had little to no empirical study or research documented and believe this is a critical piece to an individual’s overall emotional health. In an effort to stimulate additional research on the

Recent research show that the majority of criminals in some countries show sign of recidivism even after sanction and incarceration are imposed on them. The following essay will discuss about possible factor that contribute to such criminal habitual relapse and also put forward some suggestions for the problem.

86). Restorative Justice is guided by factors such as the victims must give up and withdraws their free, voluntary, and informed consent to participate in the restorative justice process; they also must be fully informed about the process and its consequences. The offenders must admit responsibility for the offence, and both the victim and offender must agree on the essential facts of the case. The offenders and victims can have legal advice at any time and can withdraw if they so wish. Admissions of guilt cannot be used as evidence in any later legal proceedings. Failure to reach an agreement cannot be used in any legal proceeding to justify a harsher sentence than would otherwise be given out. The consequences of failing to honour an agreement is to be clearly stated (Goff, 2011, p.86).When the restorative justice methods are implicated the “disapproval will then be dispensed within an ongoing relationship with the offender based on respect” (Goff, 2011, p. 90). The victim and significant others will then confront the offender, explain what harm was caused, and an attempt to build a moral conscience and strengthen social bonds begin (Goff, 2011, p.90). A key component to restorative