U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government, Department of Justice.

NCJRS Virtual Library

The Virtual Library houses over 235,000 criminal justice resources, including all known OJP works.
Click here to search the NCJRS Virtual Library

TOWARDS A BETTER PENAL SYSTEM

NCJ Number
65911
Journal
Howard Journal of Penology and Crime Prevention Volume: 19 Issue: 1 Dated: (1980) Pages: 27-41
Author(s)
E A FATTAH
Date Published
1980
Length
15 pages
Annotation
CRITICAL ARGUMENTS AGAINST REHABILITATION AS A CORRECTIONS POLICY ARE SUMMARIZED; A SIX-POINT FORMULA IS PRESENTED AS AN IMPROVEMENT OVER CURRENT PENAL PRACTICES.
Abstract
CRITICISM OF REHABILITATION AND THE CALL FOR A MODEL TO REPLACE THE TREATMENT MODEL ARE BASED ON THE ARGUMENTS THAT REHABILITATION DOES NOT WORK, THAT RETRIBUTION IS A NECESSARY ELEMENT OF JUSTICE, PUNISHMENT IS AN EFFECTIVE DETERRENT, AND THAT INCAPACITATION OF OFFENDERS CAN GREATLY REDUCE CRIME. IT IS CLAIMED THAT REHABILITATION AS A CORRECTIONAL POLICY HAS NEVER BEEN GIVEN A FAIR CHANCE TO WORK BECAUSE ITS IMPLEMENTATION HAS ALWAYS BEEN HAMPERED BY A SHORTAGE OF MUCH NEEDED PHYSICAL FACILITIES AND OF MATERIAL AND HUMAN RESOURCES. A SIX-POINT FORMULA IS PRESENTED TO ACHIEVE BETTER PENAL SYSTEMS: (1) REDUCING THE CLIENTELE OF THE SYSTEM THROUGH DECRIMINALIZATION AND DEPENALIZATION, DIVERSION, LIMITED USE OF INCARCERATION, AND EXTENDED USE OF ALTERNATIVES TO IMPRISONMENT; (2) CHANGING THE PRISONS THROUGH ALTERING FACILITY SIZE, DESIGN AND PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT, AND BY CHANGING THE PSYCHOLOGICAL AND SOCIAL ENVIRONMENT; (3) INTRODUCING SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY INTO THE SYSTEM THROUGH INNOVATIVE TECHNOLOGICAL CHANGES SPAWNED BY CRIMINOLOGICAL RESEARCH; (4) INVOLVING THE COMMUNITY IN REINTEGRATING THE OFFENDER; (5) CHANGING PUBLIC ATTITUDES TOWARD CRIME AND PUNISHMENT THROUGH INFORMATION AND EDUCATION; AND (6) PROVIDING RESTITUTION AND COMPENSATION TO VICTIMS. IN CONCLUSION, A PLEA IS MADE FOR HUMANITARIANISM AS A GUIDING PRINCIPLE OF CORRECTIONS POLICY. REFERENCES ARE PROVIDED. (DEG)