Debate for correction class - Essay Example

In Support of the Prison System The prison system has been used to punish and rehabilitate offenders throughout theUnited States and the world over. This system has been used to several advantages for the prisoner and indeed the community to which he belongs. Indeed, the prison system is beneficial to addressing the cause of criminal behavior in an offender and equips the offender with appropriate skills that deter crime, helping the offender and society at large. Most prisons have a correctional psychologist, whose main role is to help the inmate through treatment, rehabilitation and eventually integration into the community (Bartol & Bartol, 2012).

They are mostly concerned with the inmate’s psychological assessments, which in most cases may have been responsible for their offences. They include crisis intervention strategies, program or treatment evaluation, sex offender and substance abuse treatment and anger management. They ensure that at the end of the time, the offender leaves prison a reformed person, looking at life with a different perspective. The prison system also has a Prisoner Education and Training Unit (PEaT), which provides education and vocational training to prisoners (Department of Justice, 2013).

Besides working through its own educators, it also coordinates with external service providers such as polytechnics and other registered training organizations. The unit oversees the tutor scheme through relevant media. The Department of Justice and Department of Education have also jointly developed a prison education strategic plan, whose primary focus is to increase the prisoner’s personal skills such as communication skills. This will increase their chances of gaining employment upon release, thus become an independent member of the society and live an offence-free lifestyle, thereby reducing the chances of re-entry, as they get occupied and also have a source of livelihood.

I therefore support the prison system which ensures the offender has less chances of re-offending. It not only reforms the offender but also ensures less chances of re-entry and equips him with useful skills which reform his life. Such persons become helpful in the community. ReferencesBartol, R. C., & Bartol, A. (2012). Introduction to forensic psychology: Research and application. (3rd ed.). Thousand Oaks, California: Sage. Department of Justice. (2013). Prison service: Integrated offender management.

Retrieved 8 November 2013 from http://www.justice.tas.gov.au/prisonservice/iom