CHALLENGES FOR CONTEMPORARY CORRECTIONS

• NCJ Number: 5559
• Journal: Federal Probation Volume: 33 Issue: 1 Dated: (MARCH 1969) Pages: 3-10
• Author(s): P G GARABEDIAN
• Date Published: 1969
• Length: 8 pages
• Corporate Author: Administrative Office of the United States Courts
• Publication Format: Article
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

LONG RANGE CONSIDERATIONS WHICH AFFECT THE EFFICIENCY AND FUTURE DEVELOPMENT OF CORRECTIONS.

Abstract

THE PURPOSE OF THIS ARTICLE IS TO DISCUSS FOUR MAJOR CHALLENGES CURRENTLY BEFORE CORRECTIONS, AND TO SUGGEST THAT UNLESS THESE CHALLENGES ARE MET SUCCESSFULLY, THE FUTURE OF CORRECTIONS AS A VIABLE 'PEOPLE-CHANGING' ENTERPRISE IS INDEED DISMAL. FIRST, PUBLIC ATTITUDES TOWARD CORRECTIONS ARE GENERALLY UNFAVORABLE, AND AS A RESULT CORRECTIONAL PROGRAMS DO NOT HAVE WIDESPREAD SUPPORT. SECOND, CORRECTIONS ITSELF IS DISORGANIZED, LACKS CLEAR DIRECTION, AND DOES NOT POSSESS AN OVERALL PLAN. THIRD, THE FIELD CONTINUES TO BE RUPTURED BY SPLITS AND DIVISION. FACTIONS EXIST NOT ONLY WITHIN THE FIELD, BUT ALSO BETWEEN IT AND OTHER SEGMENTS OF THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM AS WELL. FINALLY, CORRECTIONS CONTINUES TO BE PLAGUED BY NUMEROUS SACRED COWS THAT HAVE PERSISTED SINCE THE EMERGENCE OF THE 'NEW PENOLOGY', PARTICULARLY THE VIEW THAT TREATMENT IS SOMETHING TO BE RECEIVED AND INVOLVES NO EFFORT BY THE OFFENDER.