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DILEMMA IN ADULT CORRECTIONAL SETTINGS - TO TREAT OR NOT TO TREAT AND IF SO HOW? (FROM THE ROLE OF THE FORENSIC PSYCHOLOGIST, 1980, BY GERALD COOKE - SEE NCJ-67157)

NCJ Number
67162
Author(s)
F W KASLOW
Date Published
1980
Length
19 pages
Annotation
IN VIEW OF THE ONGOING CONTROVERSY OVER THE PURPOSE OF CORRECTIONAL INSTITUTIONS AND GIVEN THE ENORMOUS TASK OF REHABILITATING OFFENDERS, BOLD NEW APPROACHES ARE NEEDED.
Abstract
THE CORRECTIONS SYSTEM IS BASED ON A VARIETY OF THEORETICAL FRAMEWORKS, OFTEN EXISTING WITHIN THE SAME INSTITUTION. THUS, THERAPY GROUPS ARE SOMETIMES RUN ACCORDING TO DIFFERENT PRINCIPLES AND STYLES, CREATING CONFUSION AMONG INMATES, WHO MAY BE SUBJECTED TO DIFFERENT TREATMENT APPROACHES. LACK OF A COHESIVE PHILOSOPHY OF INMATE REHABILITATION CAN LEAD TO CHAOS WHEN ALLOWED FREE PLAY WITHIN A CORRECTIONAL SETTING. GIVEN THE ENORMOUS DIFFICULTIES OF REHABILITATING CONVICTED OFFENDERS AND THE INADEQUACIES OF PRISON BUDGETS, SUPRISINGLY GOOD RESULTS ARE BEING ACHIEVED WITH THE EXISTING PROGRAMS. THE FEDERAL BUREAU OF PRISONS' SUCCESS IN MEETING GOALS AND PREPARING OFFENDERS TO REENTER SOCIETY HIGHLIGHTS THE NEED FOR PROGRAMS COMBINING BOTH THERAPY AND JOB TRAINING WITH EMPHASIS ON MARKETABLE SKILLS. THE ABILITY TO EARN A LIVING IS INEXTRICABLY INTERTWINED WITH AN INDIVIDUAL'S SELF-ESTEEM. WORKING ALSO OCCUPIES TIME WHICH MIGHT OTHERWISE BE SPENT IN CRIMINAL PURSUITS. REHABILITATION AND SOCIAL REINTEGRATION SHOULD, THEREORE, ENCOMPASS A TWO-PRONGED APPROACH TO INMATE TREATMENT, IF RECIDIVISM IS TO BE REDUCED. SINCE THE MAJORITY OF PRISONERS ULTIMATELY RETURN TO LIVE IN THE COMMUNITY AT LARGE, AND IN VIEW OF THE NATIONWIDE ACCEPTANCE OF INMATES' RIGHT TO TREATMENT, THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM IS MORALLY AND LEGALLY OBLIGATED TO TREAT INMATES OF CORRECTIONAL INSTITUTIONS UNIFORMLY AND EFFECTIVELY. AN EXAMINATION OF VARIOUS TYPES OF THERAPY OFFERED IN CORRECTIONAL INSTITUTIONS (E.G., PSYCHOTHERAPY, GROUP THERAPY, MARITAL AND FAMILY THERAPY, AND MILIEU THERAPY) POINT TO THE NEED FOR MILIEU THERAPY IN DECENT SURROUNDINGS, AS THE BEST APPROACH TO REDUCE RECIDIVISM. A LIST OF 28 BIBLIOGRAPHIC REFERENCES IS INCLUDED. (LGR)