Is it true what they say about dropping the soap in a prison shower? Although there are several advantages to incarcerating those who break the law, there are a plethora of adverse effects that an inmate could very well experience in prison. But are the negative consequences of sending a wrong-doer to jail greater than the benefits that the individual receives and the protection it offers to the general public?
Simply, a prison is seen as a building to which people are legally sent to as a punishment for the crimes that they have committed. The core aims of a prison are not only to keep society safe, but also to rehabilitate and reintegrate offenders into the community and to deter others from committing the same or similar crimes. However, could it be argued that locking a violent lawbreaker away in confinement together with other violent criminals does more harm to the offender than it does good?
Historically, the focus of punishment was mainly to inflict physical pain and suffering on the body. This was also to set a vivid example to the public. Nowadays we incarcerate offenders to work on their minds and help them become useful members of society. An individual who commits a violent crime that is worthy of sending them to prison, may need professional help to rehabilitate them, whether they have an addiction or have simply taken a wrong turn in the path of their lives. However, the physical and psychological scars that an inmate might incur in prison, could by all means cause more problems for the individual and make it harder for them to be reformed and re-enter society.
The aim of this essay is to discuss, in depth, the negative and positive consequences of imprisonment, drawing conclusions about the degree to which prisoners are harmed and helped by incarceration based on the research surrounding prisons, corrective services, conditions experienced by inmates in prisons, programs offered to incarcerated offenders and prisoner