Persuasive Speech Rough Draft
Title: Getting Prepared to Re-enter the Real World
Topic: Should Prisons Rehabilitate
General Purpose: To change thinking
Specific Purpose: To persuade my listeners to consider that rehabilitation would be beneficial to prisoners. Pattern of Organization: Problem-Solution
Central Idea/Thesis Statement: Prisons should offer more programs to prisoners so that when they get out in society they can readapt to the real world.
Introduction:
I. Attention Catcher: During the past year I’ve been dealing with inmates. And to just hear some of their stories touch my heart. Many of the inmates that I’ve talked to, half of them could not read or write. Some
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V. Preview of Main Points: Today, I’m going to explain to you what happens when prisons don’t offer rehabilitation programs and the solution to the problem.
TRANSITION: To get started, I will elaborate the problems of uneducated prisoners.
Body:
I. Rehabilitation not being offered in prison may result in many problems.
A. According to The American Journal of Criminal Justice, “since a former criminal history can deter employability and contribute to the high unemployment rate of this population. The present research experimentally manipulated the effects of two offender characteristics, type of offense and work qualifications, on the perceived employability of a hypothetical job applicant”. (Cerda, Douglas, and Mathew. "The Role of Type of Offense and Work Qualifications on Perceived Employability of Former Offenders." American Journal of Criminal Justice (2014): 1-19).
B. Michael Keglar stated in an interview that after refusing a rehabilitation program while incarcerated, he was unable to obtain employment after his release.
C. Statistics show that sixty-five percent of felons are repeat offenders (Middlemass, 2006).
D. Due to a lack of funding for these programs and prison overcrowding, which hinders effective delivery of many schemes (Cameron, 2012).
1. The United States currently incarcerates 1 in nearly 100 American adults
2. Increases in the number of prisoners are likely to reduce crime, rising crime rates also translate into larger
The United States prison system is considered today to be one of the most flawed and corrupt systems of the modern world. Given this fact, it is unsurprising that one of the most talked about issues in the US today is prison reform. Prison reform is a phrase which refers to the attempt to improve conditions inside prisons, establishing a more effective penal system, or implementing alternatives to incarceration. The US has spent the past twenty years gradually working to improve its prisons, and even recently strives to better the federal and state prison system as a whole. One of the main goals of prison reform is reducing recidivism, which is the chance of an incarcerated person re-offending. One of the main ways to do this is to give inmates ways to spend their time that will better them and prepare them to re-enter society as a fully productive, rehabilitated citizen. This facet of prison reform is the basis for the Prison Reform and Redemption Act of 2017. This bill, which was to be reviewed on Wednesday, April 25 but is
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)
As the imprisoned population in the United States grows and American culture changes, rehabilitation is becoming popular among these alternatives to a standard prison system. Rehabilitation when referring to criminal justice are programs and methods used to assist prisoners in reforming themselves in order to avoid the habits that placed them in prison in the first place. These programs are becoming more popular due to the high cost of imprisonment and a change in American culture. Each prisoner costs forty thousand dollars each year to keep in prison(Weissmueller). This is money that is coming out of the taxes paid by United States citizens who aren’t even in the prison system. Alongside this, American culture is changing to be supporting of rehabilitation efforts as Americans see the effectiveness of criminal justice systems that include it. This was seen on a trip to Europe by U.S. prison officials; once they had seen the effectiveness of German and Dutch prison rehabilitation, they wanted to bring similar programs to their prisons (“People, not prisoners”). A rehabilitation based criminal justice system in the United States is gaining popularity, and as it does so it is earning the attention it needs and deserves.
You can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make it drink. Everyone knows that you can’t help someone unless they want to help themselves. When the prison system was first established, the possibilities in rehabilitation were nothing like they are
As a country, we should care about all of our citizens and work toward bettering them, because we are only as strong as our weakest link. When it concerns the issue of corrections it should not be a discussion of punishment or rehabilitation. Instead, it should be a balance of both that puts the spotlight on rehabilitating offenders that are capable and willing to change their lives for the better. Through rehabilitation a number of issues in the corrections field can be solved from mental health to overcrowding. More importantly, it allows offenders the chance to do and be better once released from prison. This paper analyzes what both rehabilitation and punishment are as well as how they play a part in corrections. It also discusses the current reasons that punishment as the dominant model of corrections is not as effective as rehabilitation. After explaining rehabilitation and punishment, then breaking down the issues with punishment, I will recommend a plan for balance. A plan that will lower incarceration rates and give offenders a second chance.
I agree that rehabilitation should be the primary goal in sentencing. Rehabilitation teaches a criminal how to interact with the community after being away for a set amount of time. Days in prison and jail can hinder the positive thoughts in one’s mind. Anger and depression can build up, and make the criminals want to act out again. The rehabilitation process can even mend burnt bridges with family and friends.
In the essay "Prison "Reform" in America," Roger T. Pray points out the much attention that has been devoted to research to help prevent crimes. Showing criminals the errors of their ways not by brutal punishment, but by locking them up in the attempt to reform them. Robert Pray, who is a prison psychologist, is currently a researcher with the Utah Dept. of Corrections. He has seen what has become of our prison system and easily shows us that there is really no such thing as "Prison Reform"
One major problem of prison overcrowding is the effect it has on prison organizational stability. The more prisoners and people put in jail have made it harder for prison guards and staff to monitor and control them. The entire prison system must make enormous changes in order to accommodate for the number of inmates versus the number of prison guards (O’Leary). This often results in a misclassification of offenders. Many who come through the system are classified based on the amount of space available instead of on the security level and programs that would be most suitable for them (Howard). “It is not uncommon to find inmates, classified as medium security, incarcerated in maximum security institutions, while other inmates are in medium security who were previously considered candidates for maximum security” (Howard). Misclassifying offenders often leads to “slow progress through the corrections system as well as a slow exit” (Howard). This in turn only prolongs and increases the overcrowding problem (Howard). The corrections programs should be reformed to meet the needs of the inmates rather than the inmates having to adjust to meet the requirements of the system. Offenders need to be on specific rehabilitation programs that are customized to fit their needs, such as alcohol and drug abuse programs and so forth.
This paper is essential in determining the relationship between jailing of criminals for lesser crimes together with hardcore criminals who in turn recruit them to the hardcore gangs making them more dangerous. The relationship drawn by the paper on how crime rate changes with increased in persons jailed in an area is fascinating and hold a key purpose of proving that mass incarceration only causes increase in crime in USA instead of helping reduce
Ms. Thompson’s proposal is she submitted to the Pioneer Institute Better Government Contest. The proposal is a Release Reform Community (RRC) Program to reduce the recidivism rate in the United States. The high recidivism rate in the U.S. is what she believes is from how difficult for an inmate to re-enter society after imprisonment. The program that Ms. Thompson proposed (RRC) is to address the lack of fundamental skills and structure needed to modify negative behaviors that have been long-ingrained in the correctional system. From her experience in the correctional system and speaking with other inmates, they feel that a program such as this will give them the best opportunity to live a healthy, productive life once released.
The deterrence and rehabilitation of prisons is clearly a purpose that is not being fulfilled. The actions of Earl Shriner and Reginald Muldrew are examples that show this. Claiming prisons as being effective, one might say that these are just isolated cases. In 1993, fifty-three percent of prisoners released were reconvicted within two years (Reducing).
In this essay, I shall be focusing on the whether or Prisons rehabilitate offenders. I will
Prison reform is a significant issue that the United States government should enforce. It would aid in creating a more organized system of incarceration. Prison reform is an attempt to improve, change, or eliminate certain conditions in prisons. It is believed that it should be enforced due to the cases of overcrowding, lack of proper education, and the lack of rehabilitation that could inform prisoners of societal values. Prison reform would increase the self-esteem that was diminished in the prisoner’s personal history. Prison reform is significantly important as it will heighten the amount of self-worth in the prisoner and cause a decrease in the population of prisoners who return to a life of crime. Recidivism, or chance of recommitting a crime, will therefore be reduced. Prisoner who are released will not have all the negative ideals or influence from the prison that is usually spread until their release. Prison reform will help society if the increase in education and decrease in overcrowding is ensued upon the prison system with this policy.
One major concern is the quality of rehabilitation the inmates receive while they are incarcerated. The question to ask is “Are our prisoners being properly rehabilitated?”
From their inception, prisons have attempted to act as both a deterrent and a rehabilitator. However, in certain times one of these is