NCJ Number
54287
Journal
BEHAVIORAL SCIENCE Volume: 23 Issue: 3 Dated: (MAY 1978) Pages: 148-156
Date Published
1978
Length
9 pages
Annotation
A SYSTEMATIC PERSPECTIVE ON CORRECTIONS AS WHOLE IS DEVELOPED, AND THE POTENTIAL CONTRIBUTIONS OF CORRECTION PROGRAMS TOWARD ACHIEVING LONG-TERM SOCIAL SYSTEM STABILITY AND ADAPTABILITY ARE EXAMINED.
Abstract
VIABLE CORRECTIONAL APPROACHES MUST BE SET WITHIN A BOARD UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT IS INVOLVED IN THE MAINTENANCE AND PROGRESSIVE DEVELOPMENT OF A SOCIAL SYSTEM THAT PROVIDES FOR A VARIETY OF LIFESTYLES AND BEHAVIORS, WHILE MAINTAINING STABILITY THROUGH THE CONTROL OF ESSENTIALLY IRRATIONAL AND DESTRUCTIVE PATHOLOGIC BEHAVIOR. A SOCIAL SYSTEM IS VIEWED AS A LIVING ORGANISM THAT MUST DEVELOP INCREASINGLY COMPLEX VARIETIES OF ADAPTIVE BEHAVIOR IN ORDER TO AVOID FORCED AND EXPLOSIVE CHANGES BY SIZABLE NUMBERS WHOSE BEHAVIORAL OPTIONS HAVE BEEN SUPPRESSED BY STATIC SOCIAL CONTROL MECHANISMS. AT THE SAME TIME, HOWEVER, STABILITY MUST BE MAINTAINED BY AN ONGOING NUCLEUS OF RATIONAL SOCIAL CONTROL THAT CAN NEUTRALIZE THE POTENTIALLY DESTRUCTIVE EFFECTS OF SOME PATHOLOGIC DEVIANT BEHAVIOR. AGAINST THE BACKGROUND OF THIS PERSPECTIVE OF THE DEVELOPMENT OF A SOCIAL SYSTEM, FIVE MODALITIES OF CORRECTIONS ARE DESCRIBED AND ASSESSED AS TO THEIR CONTRIBUTION TO LONG-TERM SOCIAL SYSTEM STABILITY. THE FOLLOWING MODELS ARE DISCUSSED: (1) RESTRAINT, WHICH SIMPLY REMOVES THE PERCEIVED DEVIANT FROM INTERACTION WITH THE SOCIAL SYSTEM WITHOUT ATTEMPTING CHANGE; (2) REFORM AND REHABILITATION, WHICH STRESSES CHANGE OF THE INDIVIDUAL OFFENDER SO HE WILL COMPLY WITH THE NORMATIVE SYSTEM; (3) REINTEGRATION, WHICH PURSUES MUTUAL CHANGE AND ADAPTATION OF BOTH THE DEVIANT AND THE SOCIAL SYSTEM; AND (4) RECONSTRUCTION, WHICH EMPHASIZES RESTRUCTURING THE COMMUNITY VALUE OR NORMATIVE SYSTEM. RESTRAINT, REFORM, AND REHABILITATION MODELS DO NOT SUFFICIENTLY EMPHASIZE CHANGE IN THE SOCIAL SYSTEM TO ALLOW FOR GREATER VARIETIES OF BEHAVIOR AND LIFESTYLES, WHEREAS THE REINTEGRATION AND RECONSTRUCTION MODELS DO RECOGNIZE THE IMPORTANCE OF GROWTH AND CHANGE IN SOCIAL NORMS TO PERMIT GREATER DIVERGENCE OF BEHAVIOR WITHOUT UNDUE SOCIAL CONTROL. IT IS SUGGESTED THAT THE RESTRAINT MODEL BE USED WITH CLEARLY PATHOLOGIC DEVIANTS, EMPLOYING THE DETERMINATE SENTENCE IN ORDER TO MAINTAIN ESSENTIAL STABILITY WITHIN THE SOCIAL SYSTEM. (RCB)