Our Criminal Justice System Relies on its “Correctional” Services to Correct; is it Working?

“An eye for an eye…”

The attitudes of people on the treatment of prisoners have been debated and discussed a great deal. Advocacy groups, on both sides of the issue, have made their voices heard, from getting “tough on crime” to “getting rid of prisons.” People who have studied this have found some common ground to move forward. There is widespread agreement on holding people accountable for their crimes. Likewise, since most of the people serving prison sentences will, at some point, be released into the community, there needs to be consideration given to rehabilitating them. We need to find a way to reduce the chance of prisoners reoffending and ending up back behind bars.

It’s simple logic. Every sentence eventually ends. What kind of neighbour, employee, or community member, do we want walking out the prison gates when that day comes? If we treat prison as only a warehouse for punishment, we are ensuring a revolving door of crime and suffering that affects victims, families, and communities alike.

Since 2012, a person who has been convicted of a crime, and served time in a correctional facility in Canada is 24% more likely to reoffend and end up back in prison. This poses a potential danger to the community-at-large and places a strain on the correctional system. The key to better preparing inmates for their eventual release is to address their basic life skills, to assess their barriers to success and provide them with the skills necessary for an effective transition. There are those who feel this is being ‘soft,’ that a second chance is a waste of time.

Ignoring rehabilitation is negligence. If nearly one-quarter of people leaving prison reoffend, then we have a public safety problem that punishment alone cannot solve. Crime prevention begins inside prison walls, not just in the courts.

Since 97.6% of all inmates will be released, focusing on their rehabilitation is necessary for the inmate, and society as a whole. “With a focus on self-improvement and reintegration into the community, and not just on punishment, the correction system can fulfill its purpose; to change and correct, not just to punish.” The traditional ways in prisons were not aimed at changing an inmate’s behavior; instead, a culture of mistrust, disrespect and dominance was viewed as acceptable. The result? When a person finished their sentence, they were released as possibly an angrier malfunctioning citizen, ill-equipped to adjust, and more likely to re-offend.”

We shouldn’t be surprised when that happens. A system built on domination and fear produces resentment and dysfunction. If we want changed behaviour, we must model it. Prisons can be places of structure and discipline without being places of humiliation and hostility.

While an inmate is serving their sentence in prison, rehabilitation and treatment plans need to be put in place, to decrease the chance that the convicted person will reoffend. At no time is this meant to remove accountability for the crime that was committed. Actually, by putting effective treatment plans in place, an incarcerated person may be better able to understand the wrongful act they committed. If brought in gradually with the right intentions, the rules and routines of the prison staff can help break a pattern of disrespect that may have existed in the lives of inmates for a long time. This is where the old saying, “To know respect you have to be shown respect.” Breaking the “cycle of disrespect can often become a springboard to an inmate receiving the treatment they may need for life after prison and successful reintegration.

Rehabilitation programs for prisoners cannot take a “one size fits all” approach. Trained professionals must complete a risk/danger assessment of each inmate. This will determine the required needs of the individual, hopefully lessening the obstacles that may affect a successful re-entry into society. The key to a prisoner having a successful plan to follow while they are serving their sentence is to develop a plan that focuses on their specific needs. Frequently, treatment involving issues of mental health, physical abuse, prolonged substance abuse/addiction, and anti-social attitudes are identified as critical and essential.

This kind of tailored approach demands resources and commitment, but the payoff is enormous. Each person who successfully reintegrates represents one less future victim, one less costly re-incarceration, and one more productive citizen contributing to the community.

An inmate serving time in a facility needs to understand that change must occur if they are to lead a successful life after their sentence has been completed. For those without basic education and limited skills, if issues of addiction, anger management, and possible trauma are not treated, adjusting to life after release will hold many challenges and struggles. While no system, or rehabilitation plan can guarantee success after prison, failing to assess, treat, and provide skills to an inmate will undoubtedly increase their likelihood of reoffending by 72%. The toll on society, and the pressure it could place on the correctional system, is too great to not invest in rehabilitation planning for prison inmates.

The key rests with not focusing on “punishment for punishment’s sake,” but to provide a path of intervention and programming aimed at factors that may reduce the likelihood of a released inmate reoffending. The role of discipline, for people who are not familiar with it, is important; so is self-discipline. These can be achieved if a person’s needs are met, and an effective realistic rehabilitation plan is put in place. Our criminal justice system relies on its “correctional” services to correct; otherwise, it would be the department of “punishment.”

“An eye for an eye? Leaves the whole world blind.”

If we truly want safer streets and stronger communities, we must look beyond slogans. Locking someone up may satisfy anger in the moment, but the real safety comes when we hand them the tools, and the key, to change.