For over 40 years now, America has been experimenting with expanding and toughening up every aspect of the countries criminal justice system; as a result, the country’s standard response to any crime is incarceration. Currently, there are, at last, real discussions of reform, although little is being done to reduce the incarceration rate in USA to bring it on par with that of other democratic countries like Norway (Neubauer & Fradella, 2018). Indications that the system is more effective at incarcerating offenders and removing them from communities than rehabilitation of offenders into society’s productive citizens.
Deterrence, retribution, rehabilitation, and restraint are the four basic strategies used in the administration of criminal justice. In all 50 states, every system of criminal justice makes use of a combination, but over time, the viability of each has been questioned due to mistakes made. The emphasis is on an effective, substantial proof combination that would significantly improve long-term public safety, save government funds, and give convicts a chance at redemption.
Advantages and Disadvantages of Judicial Approaches
The principle of restraint is based on the idea that when a criminal is imprisoned, they will be unable to commit other crimes. One disadvantage of this approach is that 95% of inmates will ultimately be released from jail; placing adults in a time-out period without further action is hardly a proactive measure (Vibbard, 2017). Another disadvantage of the restraint judicial system approach is that jail on its own merely serves to desensitize convicts to punishment and acts as “a criminal university.” (Frontline, 2014). A place where minor offenders can interact with other prisoners to hone their abilities and grow more threatening and problematic after being released.
Rehabilitative justice focuses on giving offenders psychotherapy, drug abuse therapeutic interventions, fundamental education, vocational training, and various other programs designed to correct poor behavior. The best method to influence a convict’s life for the better is to make an investment in their rehabilitation (Vibbard, 2017). With each felon who becomes a contributing member of community, crime rates, and incarceration expenses diminish.
In conclusion, the current judicial system is more focused on putting away people the society is mad at than those it should be afraid of. The annual cost of the American prison system to taxpayers is billions of dollars. The money ought to be used to improve communities rather than do more harm to them. Safety improvements come through investments rather than incarceration.
References
Vibbard, A. (2017). Four Approaches to Improving Criminal Justice. Wyoming Liberty Group.
Neubauer, D. W., & Fradella, H. F. (2018). America’s courts and the criminal justice system. Cengage Learning.
Frontline. (2014). Prison State [Video].