ALTERNATIVES TO PRISON

Why It Is Beneficial To Have Alternatives To Prison

Table of Contents

Introduction3

Discussion & Analysis4

Demerits of Imprisonment4

Benefits of Alternatives to Prison5

Conclusion7

References8

Why It Is Beneficial To Have Alternatives To Prison

Introduction

Today crime is considered to be a salient fact, an essential part of the risks we encounter in everyday life. In both scholarly and public opinion crime is allied with impairment and violent behavior; damage to individuals, obliteration of property, and the denial of respect for individuals and institutions. Crime operate as a main concept in modern society. It seems like a common sense category, but this is only a superficial appearance.

Although a person, committing crime deserves punishment, but one cannot deny the fact that it also leaves negative impact on the character and behavior of the inmate. In most cases, incarceration cases diminish hope, self-respect, and motivation and increase the possibility of the inmate repeating crime and getting imprisoned again. Statistics produced on recidivism indicate that two-thirds of people released from prison will eventually be rearrested (Petersilia, 2003). Nowadays, the number of criminal activities and offender getting imprisoned is on the rise. Lack of healthy socialization within penitentiaries can also cause prisoners to depend on the structure of prison life. Research shows that there are significant links between the psychosocial effects of incarceration and the alarming increase in the rate of recidivism, especially if the inmates are put into adult facilities. The negative impact of the social structure within these institutions can further the permanent damage they already have suffered to their mental, emotional, and physical growth. If offenders are not being offered transitional services when reintegrating into society, this will negatively impact society.

The rest of our discussion would essentially be concentrated to the task, purpose, and outcome of crime related concepts, such as 'punishment' i.e. prison, and the entities accountable for imposing the conditions, particularly the prisons and other social control instruments. Further we will be providing factual material to support our main argument i.e. “why it is beneficial to have alternatives to prison”.

Discussion & Analysis

Demerits of Imprisonment

Prison life effects offenders'' personal identity development during a crucial stage of their lives. Because of the lack of healthy socialization as they are transforming into adults, it is extremely difficult for them to face the many challenges of growing up, such as physical changes and sexually maturing (Greeve, 2001). The pressures of prison life restrict them from getting the proper socialization that is so vital for them to have at this stage in their lives. They try to cope with the combination of their own changing processes, and the pressure to conform to their surroundings through hyper masculinity, prison violence, and adhering to its rules (Berswill. 2004). It twists their concepts of not only themselves, but their future behavior. They become even more socially dysfunctional (Berswill, 2004, Greeve, 2001). Reintegration into society does not work for offenders when they keep trying to use the prison mentality they acquired during incarceration.

Offenders can learn to be unaffected by punishment and ...