The Massachusetts Department Of Corrections

Many of the nation’s officials believe that criminals do not think about possible punishment when they commit a crime. Rational choice theory is linked to deterrence theory; it came into play after rehabilitation was ineffective, and this theory grew out of the same utilitarian philosophy as deterrence (Pacotti, 2005). Rational choice theory can be defined as a person reasons before taking an action, also balancing the cost and benefits of the situation. The focus is upon situational opportunities, and victim factors (Gordon, 2010). The model consists of individuals desire utility (e.g. happiness, wealth), operating within their means individuals attempt achieve their desired goals, the rational choice is the one that obtains desired goals (e.g., the most utility) for the lowest cost (Pacotti, 2005). It fails to explain expressive non economically motivated criminal activity such as vandalism (Burke, 2009). The policy that links these two theories together is boot camps, and scared straight for young offenders scare tactics, also disciplining their behaviour. “Programs like correctional camps are to act as deterrence to first-time offenders from offending again. Incapacitation means confinement, restricting the offenders' freedom and activities. Rehabilitation works through physical military type training and educational awareness about a variety of issues facing teens today. Punishment is giving

The Stanford Prison Experiment was a clear example of how humans can adapt to specific social roles and behave differently under the pressure of control. The experiment illustrated the concepts of deviance and social control through participants behavior. Although the prisoners were not really prisoners, they believed that they were. The behavior of the prisoners began to morph along with the experiment. By day two, the prisoners were showing deviance by barricading themselves inside their cells. The environment and treatment of the prisoners were likely causes of the disobedience. Similarly, the guards showed signs of social control throughout the experiment. Guards were able to show control over the prisoners through various actions, such

It is thought that punishment prevents an individual from committing a future crime, or reoffending. Despite this belief, research examining the effects of incarceration and prison conditions has demonstrated

Every civilization in history has had rules, and citizens who break them. To this day governments struggle to figure out the best way to deal with their criminals in ways that help both society and those that commit the crimes. Imprisonment has historically been the popular solution. However, there are many instances in which people are sent to prison that would be better served for community service, rehab, or some other form of punishment. Prison affects more than just the prisoner; the families, friends, employers, and communities of the incarcerated also pay a price. Prison as a punishment has its pros and cons; although it may be necessary for some, it can be harmful for those who would be better suited for alternative means

In prisons today, rehabilitation, deterrence, incapacitation, and retribution are all elements that provide a justice to society. Prisons effectively do their part in seeing that one if not more of these elements are met and successfully done. If it were not for these elements, than what would a prison be good for? It is highly debated upon whether or not these elements are done properly. It is a fact that these are and a fact that throughout the remainder of time these will be a successful part of prison life.

The United States Department of Corrections is currently suffering from a problem of overcrowding of inmates within its prison system resulting in a racial, ethical and administrative challenges. In an effort to address and diminish overcrowding, the Department of Corrections has enacted major policy changes relating to inmate early release credit programs. Therefore, the Department of Corrections through policy changes and the reinstatement of early release credit programs has provided both positive and negative public reception and renewed calls for further analysis on other alternatives to reduce prison overcrowding.

The Stanford Prison Experiment sought to recreate a prison experience to study behaviors of prisoners and guards. The authors were seeking answers to the question of dispositional hypothesis which states “that the state of the social institution of prison is due to the “nature” of the people who administer it, or the “nature” of the people who populate it, or both” (A Study of Prisoners and Guards in a Stimulated Prison, 1971, pg. 2). In other words, they were studying whether the prisoners and guards behaviors changed due to their personalities or was it the prison environment that caused these changes. The authors considered the recidivism rate that was 75 percent at the time, conditions in prisons, and the belief that prisons

“Crime control view: Inmates are criminals who have harmed others and must be made to pay for their misdeeds. Convicted criminals have, by definition, forfeited their right to freedom and liberty. The suffering they endure in confinement serves to deter future criminal behaviors. The fewer rights inmates have, the greater the deterrent effect of punishment.” (Siegal & Bartollas, 2010, pg. 209)

As a population evolves, and moves forward, so do those who choose to defect from the accepted standards that a society has in place. This evolution of the population needs to be compensated for in the prison systems by adding new rules and regulations.

Massachusetts was founded on the ideal that all citizens are equal in the eyes of the Law. Without the Massachusetts State Police and their 149 years of experience our beloved state would be overrun by criminal offenders. As of 2014 the Massachusetts statewide crime rate was on average 25.59%. Violent Crime being about 4.06 % of the average, and Property Crime being about 21.53% of the average. The Massachusetts State Police is an agency apart of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts’ E.O.P.S. (Executive Office of Public Safety and Security.) The Massachusetts State Police are responsible for criminal law enforcement, along with traffic vehicle regulation across the Commonwealth. As of 2014 it has approximately 2,300 Officers, and out of 2,300 1,500 of these officers are uniformed troopers. 400 of these officers are civilian support staff which make the Massachusetts State Police the largest Law Enforcement agency in New England. Currently the Massachusetts State Police is under the command of Colonel Timothy Alben.

According to Ruddell and Thomas (2009), in 2006 it was estimated that there was 93,000 juveniles in either a detention center or juvenile correctional facility; however, the arrest rates have decreased at least by 2,000 since 1993. Many juveniles on release are reoffending quickly since most of them have been locked up throughout their developmental years and their brain did not get the right cognitive development it needed to help make the right decision. Many different states and correctional institutions have started their own different programs to help decrease recidivism rate in juveniles. Two programs that will be examined further are the Capital Offender Group that was implemented by Giddings State School in Texas, and the Juvenile Cognitive Intervention Program that was implemented by the State of Wisconsin Department of Corrections.

This thorough examination depicts the diverse conceivable option answers for ladies, and adolescent guilty parties. The Bureau of Justice Grant programs created motivating forces for different projects to diminish the packed conditions for most state and government jails. These gift programs gave the data and motivations to state governments to extend, manufacture, and adjust shut army installations as expansion of the elected correctional jail framework. This activity energized neighborhood and state courts to execute truth-in-sentencing and option sentencing ideas to reduce the weight of stuffed jail frameworks. The gifts partitioned down the middle for building penitentiaries to expand the bed space for rough guilty parties, and the other half for option answers for imprisonment. The motivation reserves utilized for more option arrangements; jail islands, or freight boats, or shut army installations.

Many people have many different opinions when it comes to the consequences a given person who commited a crime must face. Some individuals specifically go on to commit crimes within the facilities they are imprisoned within, hence extending their punishment by being placed into, “The Box” as inmates call it, which totally separates the aggressor from the general population. Despite the fact that these are safety precautions, the deplorable conditions in which that given person must endure, regardless of how awful the crime that was committed”, remains in a controversial state in which that it may be making the inmate more unstable mentally.

Initially, the main belief was that criminal behavior was based on rational choice or thought, where criminals were believed to be intelligent beings and weighed the pros and cons before deciding to commit a crime; classicists Cesare Beccaria and Jeremy Bentham introduced this view. Essentially, these criminals would compare the risks of committing the crime, such as getting caught, jail or prison time, being disowned by family and friends, and so forth; and the rewards, such as money and new possessions. After making comparisons, the person would make a decision based on whether the risk was greater than the reward. This is like what is presented in an article on Regis University Criminology Program’s website, which states that a criminal “operates based on free will and rational thought when choosing what and what not to do. But that simplistic view has given way to far more complicated theories” (“Biological Theories Primer”). Nowadays, biological theories make attempts in explaining criminal behavior in terms of factors that are primarily outside of the control of the individual.

From their inception, prisons have attempted to act as both a deterrent and a rehabilitator. However, in certain times one of these is