Rehabilitation and Recidivism
Unit 4 Project
Larinda K. Kimbrell
Kaplan University
CJ499-01P: Bachelors Capstone in Criminal Justice (P)
Barbara Mitchell
June 16, 2010
Abstract
Over many years there has been great debate about whether rehabilitation reduces the rate of recidivism in criminal offenders. There has been great controversy over whether anything works to reduce recidivism and great hope that rehabilitation would offer a reduction in those rates. In this paper I will introduce information and views on the reality of whether rehabilitation does indeed reduce recidivism. Proposed is a quasi-experiment, using a group of offenders that received rehabilitation services and an ex post facto group that did not? I intend to prove that rehabilitation services do positively affect the recidivism rate regardless of unavoidable variables.
Introduction
Based on the most recent annual survey of jails, The Bureau of Justice Statistics reports a 2.3% drop in the overall jail population from midyear 2008 to midyear 2009 in its publication, "Jail Inmates at Midyear 2009—Statistical Tables." This remains a significant observation especially since mandatory minimum sentences have become an increasingly popular method of sentencing for many offenses as well as more punitive justice. What phenomenon has changed that has decreased the jail population? Have the crime rates fallen or has recidivism rates fallen due to intervention and rehabilitation programs? Minton (2010).
Studies of recidivism rates have been done for years. In 1974 Martinson conducted a study intensely questioning rehabilitation and intervention. Many important people believed that nothing works to reduce recidivism, although, earlier studies were more positive toward rehabilitation. The answer must lie somewhere in between. Rehabilitation-Does Correctional Rehabilitation Work (n.d.).
If there is no place in our criminal justice system for rehabilitation of criminals, why do we release inmates from jail to commit more crime
Larinda K. Kimbrell
Kaplan University
CJ499-01P: Bachelors Capstone in Criminal Justice (P)
Barbara Mitchell
June 16, 2010
Abstract
Over many years there has been great debate about whether rehabilitation reduces the rate of recidivism in criminal offenders. There has been great controversy over whether anything works to reduce recidivism and great hope that rehabilitation would offer a reduction in those rates. In this paper I will introduce information and views on the reality of whether rehabilitation does indeed reduce recidivism. Proposed is a quasi-experiment, using a group of offenders that received rehabilitation services and an ex post facto group that did not? I intend to prove that rehabilitation services do positively affect the recidivism rate regardless of unavoidable variables.
Introduction
Based on the most recent annual survey of jails, The Bureau of Justice Statistics reports a 2.3% drop in the overall jail population from midyear 2008 to midyear 2009 in its publication, "Jail Inmates at Midyear 2009—Statistical Tables." This remains a significant observation especially since mandatory minimum sentences have become an increasingly popular method of sentencing for many offenses as well as more punitive justice. What phenomenon has changed that has decreased the jail population? Have the crime rates fallen or has recidivism rates fallen due to intervention and rehabilitation programs? Minton (2010).
Studies of recidivism rates have been done for years. In 1974 Martinson conducted a study intensely questioning rehabilitation and intervention. Many important people believed that nothing works to reduce recidivism, although, earlier studies were more positive toward rehabilitation. The answer must lie somewhere in between. Rehabilitation-Does Correctional Rehabilitation Work (n.d.).
If there is no place in our criminal justice system for rehabilitation of criminals, why do we release inmates from jail to commit more crime
References: Cullen, F. T. & Gendreau, P. (2000). Policies, processes, and decisions of the Criminal Justice system: Assessing correctional rehabilitation: policy, practice, and prospects. Retrieved 06/13/2010 from: http://www.ncjrs.gov/criminal_justice2000/vol_3/03d.pdf Rehabilitation-Does rehabilitation really work? (n.d.). Retrieved 06/13/2010 from: http://law.jrank.org/pages/1936/Rehabilitation-Does-correctional-rehabilitation-work.html#ixzz0qsT0qGkP