Benefits of Rehabilitation as Main Objective of Punishment

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Benefits of placing rehabilitation as the main objective of punishment When it comes to Canada’s correction system, providing community safety is one of their major goals. One means in which they obtain this goal is to adopt strategies which help to reduce an offenders recidivism levels. When the penitentiary was first introduced in 1789, Quakers believed that imprisonment, along with isolation and opportunities for work and religion would help reform an offender. However, during the 1930’s inmate strikes and riots would lead to the creation of the Archambault Royal Commission of Inquiry, which placed emphasis on crime prevention and rehabilitation of offenders. Now, when it comes to rehabilitation, the main question that is often heard is whether offender treatment is effective in reducing recidivism and criminal victimization. During the 70’s and 80’s many felt that treatment programs lacked effectiveness in yielding recidivism, but what they failed to realize was that their theories were not up to current knowledge. Many also failed to distinguish between treatment programs that would be effective in circumstances related to the offender. Thus, by 1976 the correctional services went on to establish a newer approach on management of institutions. While sticking to the idea of rehabilitation, the correctional system created training programs that would finally meet provincial standards, and developed work programs that offered offenders an adequate amount of pay as well as incentives to motivate their progress. Today, researchers have been able to demonstrate that certain programs do hold power to reduce reoffending. By matching offenders risk level with the intensity of their program, targeting the offender’s antisocial needs, and using cognitive behavioural approaches, the system can help effectively reduce criminal’s likelihood of committing another offence.

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