Lesson 2

FUTURE OF PHILIPPINE CORRECTIONS

Pre-discussion

The new approaches of offender correction and rehabilitation will

definitely produce different effects on the components of the justice system.

Current policies encourage these components to consider the impact of their

individual duties and responsibilities in the delivery of justice. Community-based

correction is a critical lynch pin in these efforts, responsible for effectively

managing offenders while on probation, parole or conditional pardon with parole

conditions.

What to expect

At the end of the lesson, the students can:

1. discuss the role of community in corrections pillar;

2. discuss the importance of research in corrections; and
3. discuss the effects of new laws in correctional policies in relation to
women, children and illegal drug offender.

Lesson Outline

Role of Community in Corrections

1. Correctional Volunteer
Volunteers should be willing to assume responsibility, more or less
formalized for working directly with offenders.

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2. Social Persuaders
This is done by a person of influence in the dominant social system who
is willing to persuade others to support corrections and its program. This is
valuable in bidding for legislative support.

3. Gatekeepers of Opportunity
The custodians of access to important social institutions such as
employers, school administrators, and welfare, directors must be asked to
participate and support correctional programs.

4. Intimates
Peer groups on a non-official basis; correctional agents could work with
community workers in dealing with traditional peer groups.

Concept of Collaborative Justice with the Community and other Service

providers
Community corrections professionals cannot possibly, and should not
expect to, address the complex needs of offenders independently. Other
professionals must be involved to provide valuable information, resources, and
perspectives that will help the offender to succeed in the community.
Collaboration goes beyond sharing of resources and exchanging
information; collaboration requires that community corrections officers, court
officials and community partners work closely with each to achieve the
outcomes that would not be possible without the collaboration. Working with
other criminal justice professionals and community partners can result in
supervision plans that offenders needs more effectively, resulting in lower court
caseloads and reduced violations and crime rate within the community.
It is only through collaboration with public, private, and community-based
service providers that community corrections can promote safer communities.

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Time Line of Sentencing Philosophies and Practices

Retributive Justice (Past)

Restorative Justice (Present)

Collaborative Justice (Future)

Retributive Justice Restorative Justice Collaborative Justice

 Retributive justice also  Sometime called  Collaborative justice is

known as punitive reparative justice, is a unique and
justice is a theory of an approach to justice promising approach to
justice that considers that focuses on the criminal justice that
punishment, if needs of the victims seeks to work toward
proportionate, to be and the offenders, as the more effective
the best response to well as the involved resolution of these
crime. community, instead of problems. Rather than
satisfying abstract relying on single
legal principles or agencies to solve their
punishing the respective problems, it
offender. recognizes that many
criminal justice
problems are
systematic and require
a coordinated and
collaborative response
to the most pressing
issues facing our
justice system today.

Challenges of Collaborative Justice

The successful implementation of a collaborative justice approach
often faces many challenges, including:
1. The adversarial nature of the legal system;

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2. The competition for scarce resources;
3. The political pressure faced by elected officials;
4. The creation or existence of agencies that have overlapping, duplicative
responsibilities; and
5. The creation or existence of agencies that have missions that are
incongruous.

The success of a collaborative team relies upon the desire and

willingness of each participant to dedicate themselves and their time to the
collaborative process; to set aside individual agency agendas in pursuit of a
shared and larger goal; and to recognize that collaborative justice is a long term
process, requiring the establishment and maintenance of solid collaborative
partnership with other agencies and community stakeholders. The long-term
benefits of the collaborative approach including a shared ownership of,
responsibility for, and success in solving justice systems problems will
undoubtedly make the investment worthwhile.

Involvement of Non-Government Organization (NGOs)

It cannot be denied that Non-Government Organization or private
sector will play an important role in the success of rehabilitating offenders in the
community. These NGO’s can provide job opportunities to the clients of
community-based correction. We must understand that opportunities available
for those clients are a great help for their rehabilitation.

Significance of Research in Corrections

Making a research is a making of the future. Hence, the future of
correction will be based on how much studies are conducted to develop the
current policies in correction. What is lacking today in the Philippine Corrections
is research. Although there are foreign researches available, but applicability of
these in our local setting is a question.

Evidence-based Practices (EBP)

Involves using current best practices or intervention for which there is
consistent and solid scientific evidence of success. Integrating into everyday

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practice the correctional programs and techniques that have been shown to be
the most effective with offender using evaluation results from systematically
evaluated research studies. EBP is not based on intuition, speculations or
tradition, rather EBP is grounded in empirical data and research in studying
what works. The idea behind EBP in corrections is that agencies use only the
most successful programs.

Correctional Trends:
a. Community Based Corrections.
b. Empowering the roles of the Community to effectively achieve
Correctional objectives.
c. Creation of Correctional programs designed to encourage the
commitments of the community in the rehabilitation of
offenders.
d. E. O. 468 series of 2005 issued by former President Gloria M.
Arroyo designed to revitalized the volunteer probation aide
program of the PPA in coordination with the NGO’s and other
people’s organizations.
 Example: Alliance of Volunteer Peace Advocates of the
Philippines (2007).
Legislations of stiffer laws that will address correctional methods
for high profile offenders and heinous crime violators.

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Reference

Apela, R.N., Virgil, V.B., & Lucban, M.C. (2019). Comprehensive Correctional
Administration Handbook with Therapeutic Modalities. (2019 ed.).
Quezon City, Wiseman’s Book Trading, Inc.

Brian B. Guerrero (2018). Community-Based Corrections in the Philippines

(Non-Institutional Corrections). (1st ed.). Quezon City, Wiseman’s Book
Trading, Inc.

Foronda, M.A. (2007). Correctional Administration (Non-Institutional

Corrections). (2007 ed.). Quezon City, Wiseman’s Books Trading.

Gahar, L.D. (2012). Handbook on Non-Institutional Corrections. (1st ed.). Rex

Printing Company, Inc.

Padua, J.B.S. (2013). Parole Rules, Probation Law and Executive Clemency
(Non-Institution-Based Correction) (1st ed.). Chapter House Publishing
Incorporated.

Reyes, L.B. (1998). The Revised Penal Code: Criminal Law Book One. 15th Ed.
Rex Printing Company, Inc. 84-86 P. Florentino St., Sta. Mesa Heights,
QC.

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