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PHILLIP CARTER: REACTION ESSAY

Reaction Essay

The concept of Correction and Rehabilitation within the Scope of Criminal Justice

encapsulates the actions carried out by government entities relating to the punishment,

treatment, and supervision of individuals convicted of crimes. I chose the topic since

Rehabilitation and Correction systems are an integral part of transforming society. Equally,

my topic of choice was propelled by the urge to address the lacunas that lie within

Rehabilitative and correction institutions among different jurisdictions, especially in

upholding human rights.

My reaction to the topic in its entirety is that first, there lies a crucial need to

strengthen and empower corrective and rehabilitative institutions globally through adequate

resource allocation and recruitment trained prison workforce. Secondly, the need to address

the challenges of reintegration of radicalized convicted persons can not be ignored. Terrorism

and political violence are major concerns highly associated with re-incorporating offenders in

the society where the onus dwells upon correction and rehabilitation agencies to undertake in-

depth monitoring and supervisory procedures. Also, agencies ought to factor in the political

and social influences that may affect the monitoring process.

Thirdly, government entities must institute proper offender reintegration procedures

and consider the society's perception of prisoners -assimilation. Fourthly, government

agencies must Inmate Entry Programs and their impacts on recidivism. Lastly, Jurisdictions

must acknowledge the importance of social organizations in law enforcement on Inmate re-

integration.

I found it significant that the global prisoners’ population has escalated by 35 % over

the last decade, creating a sense of urgency to establish correction facilities aimed at
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PHILLIP CARTER: REACTION ESSAY

expediting inmate rehabilitation (Birech,2020). Also, poor governance and insufficient

resources are among the challenges that hinder the recidivism of inmates in developing

jurisdictions such as Kenya, with a high prisoner population.

In congruence with other topics learned under criminal justice studies, I realized that

rehabilitation and correction programs are fundamental rights that must be accorded to

prisoners. Additionally, studies indicate that inmate rehabilitation directly relates to reduced

recidivism rates, where prisoners embrace a crime-free life upon their release (Seigafo,2017).

Equally, in upholding the right to rehabilitation, corrective facilities should inclusively focus

on Cognitive Behavioral Therapy channeled on inculcating positive behaviors and replacing

negative actions, thus facilitating seamless inmate reintegration into the society (Gideon

&Sung,2011). To ensure that the inmate rehabilitation process is successfully undertaken,

governments should embrace implementing cognitive-behavioral programs to reduce criminal

activities.

Similarly, the essence of Locke's, Hobbes's, and Rousseau's Social Contract Theory

and Bandut's Social Learning Theory under criminology is evident. First, Bandit's theory is

premised on the idea that interactions with others largely influence a person's behavior, thus

affirming the significance of social organizations in Law Enforcement for enhancing inmate

reintegration (Nabavi,2012). In furtherance to that, Institutions should create a positive

outlook by taking part in activities geared towards equipping inmates with a sense of

responsibility and behavioral improvement.

Secondly, under the Social Contract Theory, Rousseau and Locke assert that the

Government has a responsibility to ensure that justice is seen to be done and must in all

circumstances uphold the freedom and liberty of its Citizens(Laskar,2017). The theory

directly co-relates with the concept of Rehabilitation and Correction. States must uphold
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PHILLIP CARTER: REACTION ESSAY

Prisoner rights and establish ideal inmate re-entry programs such as the Prison Based Animal

Program in America, which aid in serving justice in human ways.

The main thing that I grasped from the overall reading is the importance of

undertaking measures in strengthening Institutional Corrections and Rehabilitative centers.

Also, the acknowledgment that Inmates deserve to be granted a second chance in society was

a major highlight.
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PHILLIP CARTER: REACTION ESSAY

References

Birech, J. (2020). Strengthening the Institutional Corrections for Effective Rehabilitation in

Kenya. Advances in Social Sciences Research Journal, 7(1).

Gideon, L., & Sung, H.-E. (2011). Rethinking Corrections: Rehabilitation, Reentry, and

Reintegration. Thousand Oaks: SAGE Publications, Inc.

Laskar, M. (2013). Summary of Social Contract Theory by Hobbes, Locke, and Rousseau.

SSRN Electronic Journal. https://doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.2410525

Nabavi, R. (2012). (PDF) Bandura's Social Learning Theory & Social Cognitive Learning

Theory. ResearchGate. Retrieved 29 April 2021, from

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/267750204_Bandura's_Social_Learning_Th

eory_Social_Cognitive_Learning_Theory.

Seigafo, S. (2017). Inmate’s Right to Rehabilitation during Incarceration: A Critical Analysis

of the United States Correctional System. Official Journal Of The South Asian Society

Of Criminology And Victimology (SASCV), 12(2), 185-195. Retrieved 29 April 2021,

from https://www.sascv.org/ijcjs/pdfs/Seigafoijcjs2017vol12issue2.pdf.