NCJ Number
102684
Date Published
1986
Length
120 pages
Annotation
This assessment of the empirical evidence of the effectiveness of retribution, rehabilitation, deterrence, and incapacitation in reducing crime, with particular reference to Utah, recommends a policy that would deemphasize rehabilitation and enhance the deterrence and incapacitation effects of corrections.
Abstract
Since evaluation studies agree that rehabilitation programs rarely change habitual offenders into law abiding citizens, rehabilitation should not be an emphasis of the criminal justice system. Programs that offer academic training, vocational training, and therapy should be optional for offenders, who should help pay for them. The deterrent effect of punishment can be enhanced by increasing the apprehension rate, ensuring speedy case processing, and imposing appropriate punishment. Since studies indicate that a small percentage of chronic offenders commit a disproportionate amount of crime, the incapacitation of these offenders could significantly reduce crime. The identification of criteria that characterize chronic offenders would help in the incapacitation of high-risk offenders and improve the cost-effectiveness of imprisonment. Imprisonment periods for such offenders should be increased. The cost of imprisonment should be partially borne by the inmates through wages earned in prison industries (laws restricting the sale of prison-produced products should be revised) and other work. Probation and parole in their present form should be replaced with the electronic monitoring of selected offenders who live in the community. 117 references.