Crj 303 - Corrections

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Within prison walls as well as community corrections individuals still have rights. These rights are upheld by the constitution. Although these rights can be altered to maintain the safety and security of a facility they must still remain in guide lines of policy and be supported by the constitution. All inmates regardless of race, economic status and religious background have the right to be housed in a safe and humane environment. Although many view those that are incarcerated like animals it is against the law to treat them as such. Those that violate the law and rights of the offender will be held accountable. Individuals can be held accountable by written reprimand, suspension, termination and or they can also receive jail time. While incarcerated inmates also have the right to medical attention both for physical as well as mental health.

Regardless of a correctional officers personal feelings of an inmate he or she cannot be stripped of their basic rights if it does not interfere with the safety and security of the facility. In many facilities and community programs offenders express their dislike of harsh treatment to offenders. Most offenders react to the way that they are treated and remain respectful to staff as long as they believe they are being respected as well. “Prisoners in the public sector recognized that the respect they were given was to some degree conditional, both on their behavior and their submission to staff authority. Uniformed staff in the public sector is not always proactive in developing relationships with prisoners and were considered less friendly and informal than private sector staff.” (Crewe, B., Liebling, A., & Hulley, S. 2015)

In many cases correctional care is measured by the professionalism of the staff. When staff is not able to maintain professional relationships with each other or offenders it jeopardizes the safety of the security as well as the prevents offenders from doing what is right. Both offenders as well as correctional workers respond to the way that they are being treated. However regardless of the way an inmate is treating a correctional staff, the staff must remain professional at all times and remain in accordance with policy of the proper treatment of offenders. “researchers have uncovered that individuals perceptions of the legitimacy of legal authorities can be shaped by their experiences during their encounters with the authorities. In a prison context inmates encounter correctional officers for a number of reasons, but how rule violations are handled is particularly salient to their perceptions of those officers.” (Viotti, S. 2016)

Within corrections there are several alternatives as well as strategies that can be used in efforts to reduce the number of offenders being placed in secure facilities. For instance those that have committed petty crimes can be ordered to pay fines as well as restitution to victims. In efforts to build better relationships among offenders and the community service can also be ordered. In many cases being sentenced to time behind bars only furthers an individual’s criminality and is not conducive to their rehabilitation. “Criminal justice research in the past few decades suggested some of the most effective methods to reduce recidivism are achieved by employing evidence based practices when implementing alternatives to incarceration, thios means identifying the risk, needs of an individual offender” (STEINER, B., & WOOLDREDGE, J. 2016).

In many cases it is difficult to determine what will deter an individual from committing crimes. In all situations there are pros and cons to alternative correctional treatment as well as confinement. Punishment or lack thereof is never a guarantee of positive changed behavior. As criminals continue to find new ways to commit crimes we must continue to form new treatment options to hopefully one day meet the goals of corrections and society.

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References

Crewe, B., Liebling, A., & Hulley, S. (2015). Staff-Prisoner Relationships, Staff Professionalism, and the Use of Authority in Public- and Private-Sector Prisons. Law & Social Inquiry, 40(2), 309-344. doi:10.1111/lsi.12093

http://tloa.ncai.org/files/Alt%207-15.pdf

Quigley, B., & Godchaux, S. (2015). PRISONER HUMAN RIGHTS ADVOCACY. Loyola Journal Of Public Interest Law, 16(2), 359-403

STEINER, B., & WOOLDREDGE, J. (2016). EXAMINING THE SOURCES OF CORRECTIONAL OFFICER LEGITIMACY. Journal Of Criminal Law & Criminology, 105(3), 679-703.

Viotti, S. (2016). Work-related stress among correctional officers: A qualitative study. Work, 53(4), 871-884. doi:10.3233/WOR-152238