Sociology in corrections - Essay Example

14089 14089 Academic Research Assignment 217223 April 7 2008 Sociology in Corrections A Critical Approach to Corrections The book A Critical Approach to Corrections from Michael Welch gives several reasons and chapters to choose from for the Social approach in Corrections. Important in this chapter is to review the reasons why non violent and petty criminals are incarcerated more and more over the costs of the taxpayers. What is the reason behind this According to Butterfield (2002b) and Langan and Leving (2002) heavy handed approach to crime control does not sufficiently contribute to public safety. The huge investment in the system drains the tax dollars from other important needs in the USA like social services health care and education. Therefor we must seek for another way for this system. A Critical Approach is needed to review the system of today to see where changes can be made in a way that those who need to be punished are punished but also not on the cost of the tax payers like it is right now. The system needs changes in order to keep it back in control. Jeffrey Reiman presents in his book The Rich get Richer and the Poor get Prison the task: "Imagine that instead of designing a correctional system to reduce and prevent crime, we had to design one that would maintain and encourage the existence of stable and visible "class" of criminals. What would it look like" Reiman presents five basic features in his book. First that laws would exist that target victimless crimes like gambling, prostitution, 14089 2 use of drugs, these laws create that what people might think is normal is a crime. They contribute to secondary crime. The sample Reiman gives is that drug addicts may resort to stealing to support the habit. Second given by Reiman is police and prosecutors and judges would be granted broad discretion in deciding who was to be arrested, convicted and sentenced to prison. In other view it would mean not knowing from others who where not sentenced for similar crimes would lead to another feeling then the unjust, bitter and anti social feeling. Third Reiman states, inmates are subjected to a prison experience that is not only demeaning but also painful. The conditions are horrible most of the time, aggression of other inmates and staff are excessive and unfair. Fourth Reiman gives us that prisoners do not get help from the officials, are not Trained in any marketable skill. Therefor it is difficult for ex-offenders to find a job after prison due to discrimination by employers. Prison gives also a stigma. As fifth reason Reiman gives us is the treatment ex-offenders get after prison which Is far different from other "decent" citizen. Loosing the right to vote, and other aspects of freedom are curtailed as well. They could be the victim of harassment. Reiman and his students concluded after the study that the system from today is designed to fail. Reiman says about it that the American criminal justice system fails to combat adequately crime precisely because it is designed to fail. The book reaches beyond the basic description and therefor gives a careful analysis. The broader context of it is essential because it leads the tough decision and questions about the entire policy behind it. For example the drug addict. What should be done Treat them Incarcerate them Or both. The crime control policies 14089 3 are very complex about this issue. Just criminalizing drugs is one side of an approach. An in-depth analyses of the problem could lead to a better understanding of the social problem behind the addiction and its effect on corrections and crimes. The sophisticated and analytic approach could encourage to a more openmindedness with regard in how the policy of correction could also be designed and implemented. Reiman's book is a challenge to accept a system at various levels of society. It has tough questions about the current justice system for example the current system of correction, should we rely on it As the primary mechanism Is crime prevention more needed on the root cause Or should we reform it Reiman agrees on the system that is unjust and unfair. On the institutional level he thinks that the conditions of jails and prisons should be improved. The questions he gives also contain a sufficient conclusion. If the answers to the questions he gave are answered with a yes, then the next step should be how to determine to carry out needed changes. The book is written to specify such proposals and also handles over solutions to be used, to change parts of the current justice system. Reiman was critic in many way's however his critic give a bright view why he and his students asked the questions. He looked beyond the punishment but also looked into the crime that let to prison, how ex-offenders are approached afterwards, and how their lives have been changed for the worse. He also encouraged to change how we criminalize drug abuse and addiction. And look at the social problems and the root cause of it. Prevention could lead to less problems. centuries there is a law that strengthens them again, Special Status of the Tribes. Concluded could be said that after the onset of studying the corrections it is maybe time to develop an intellectual framework (analytical device tool of reasoning). 14089 4 It enables us to examine critically the expanding sphere of corrections that increase controversy. The control similarly are at this moment the subject of debate, however on the other hand only the precise causes of crime are argued among scholars as well as the policy makers. To understand the key to the social problems that lead to prison a framework is useful as a tool to investigate to sort out ethical, moral and philosophical considerations. The more we understand, the more we could change in everyone's benefit. The better the system is lead the less money the entire system needs right now. All that is happening is incarcerating all kind of crimes where other punishment could work more affective for minor and non violent crimes. It costs a fortune to obtain it and leads to more social problems then before. In the book A Critical Approach to Corrections Welch thinks in realm of the corrections an intellectual framework helps one comprehend three overlapping conceptual areas: theories of crime, ideologies of corrections and strategy of sentencing. Michael Welch states, In sum, what people understand to be the causes of crime (theory of crime) will influence their view of the objectives of correctional system (an ideology of corrections). Together they determine how offenders have to deal and are dealt with by the criminal justice system, the goals that ought to be. Michael Welch concludes this chapter in stating that the formal methods of thinking are crucial in detecting myths, misconception, and sensationalism common in popular views of crimes and corrections. The popular perception we deal with is that most prisoners are dangerous, distortion that is fueled by media, opinions, that dramatize crime stories. Further more Politicians also use the crime stories to exploit fear of crime for only campaign purposes. Question that remains and which is also Remains basis: When will we think human again Works cited and used "A Critical Approach to Corrections" Michael Welch Read More