The modern system of justice is developed based on various punitive policies aimed at correctional treatment; incarcerated in federal prisons people have a chance to minimize their efforts in rehabilitation period returning to social life. Nevertheless, it was found out that corrections developed for prisoners rarely work; limitations and restrictions being put on those, who managed to return to the community from prison, are considered to be counterproductive. It is necessary to underline the fact that punitive policies diminish an individual’s motivation to change not protect a person’s interests in the community. Such policies have not much sense in the rehabilitation process leading to the commitment of more and more crimes by returning prisoners in modern society.
The development of treatment programs for rehabilitating offenders is to become one of the primary tasks for the community; this fact provides a direct influence on the rate of crimes committed in the state which can be decreased through social responsibility. The programs are to be directed at recidivism reduction; though it is necessary to underline the fact that such policies are not to be only based on limitations and prohibitions for returning prisoners discriminating against their rights and opportunities in the community. It should be noted that social responsibility is to help and support former prisoners in their rehabilitation process to make them part of a renewed society. Social and political organizations all around the world are to contribute and invest in the development of such policies, identifying principle psychological and mental threats to the people having spent some part of their life in the prison. Thus, in New Mexico, federal tax dollars are aimed at the development of the Second Chance Program, being a treatment policy for ex-offenders. The officials identified, that this step is an important method to reduce crime promotion lowering the recidivism rate to 10%. (Scientology Treatment Program, 2007)
The analysis of the modern system of justice demonstrates broad promotion of treatment programs for the rehabilitating offenders; nevertheless, it is necessary to underline the idea, that the introduction and involvement of rehabilitating prisoners into voluntary and non-voluntary programs should be discriminated by the character and seriousness of the committed crime. It means that prisoners being accused of murder or raping are to be forced into special policies and programs for their rehabilitation; it can be explained by people’s disability to sponge the modifications of sophisticated social structure by personal efforts, in such cases additional help and support is obligatory and can prevent further crimes in the society. For example, there was introduced IRP treatment model controlling the crimes connected with alcohol and drug abuse. The program is a kind of treatment helping offenders to cope with their motivation problems influencing drug and alcohol usage. People graduating from this program have some privileges in the criminal justice system, such as decreased period of arrest and some educational and employment opportunities on returning to real life. (Rose & Falkin, 2000)
Future treatment programs are not to be based on social restrictions and discriminations; the programs are to provide support and help to rehabilitate offenders getting them ready for real life. Returning prisoners are to be treated as ordinary social individuals who are on their way to internal recovery. For example, in Arizona, there was developed a special program helping prisoners to be ready for the future life in society and lowering the chances of the offenders’ return to prisons. Considering the growth of the prison population, about 1,5 million in 2007, the program covered individualized assessment and correction plan development for inmates allowing them to participate in education or work influencing their self-development. (McCann, 2008)
References
McCann, S. (2008). Programs helps Arizona prisoners get ready for real life.
Rose., & Falkin. (2000). Outcome evaluation of prison therapeutic community for substance abuse treatment. Criminal Justice and Behavior, 17(1), 71-92.
Scientology Treatment Program for Prisoners Funded by Feds. (2007). Web.