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Viewing Corrections Through a Different Lens

NCJ Number
177196
Journal
Corrections Management Quarterly Volume: 3 Issue: 1 Dated: Winter 1999 Pages: 30-35
Author(s)
J Travis
Date Published
1999
Length
6 pages
Annotation
Two different approaches to crime prevention are evident, problem-solving and rule-enforcing, and there is debate about which approach holds the most promise for the future.
Abstract
The problem-solving approach has been implemented in the policing context but is spreading to other components of the criminal justice system as well. This approach is frequently used in community-based corrections and is the basis of the concept of restorative justice. The rule-enforcing approach involves such trends as zero tolerance for certain offense types, and mandatory minimum sentences. Corrections leaders can make an important contribution to the debate about the two approaches by sharing their unique perspectives and by articulating their vision for the future of corrections. A resurgence of leadership in this arena can encourage the general public and policy-makers to explore tensions between the two approaches with respect to resources and basic values of community safety, fairness, and justice. The need to reconcile the desire to punish antisocial behavior with the desire to create safe communities and dispense justice is emphasized, particularly in the context of dealing with individuals who have broken the law, conditions of confinement, opportunities for treatment, adherence to standards of accountability for those who must be punished, and measures taken to increase the likelihood individuals will not reoffend. 16 references