Restorative vs. Punitive Justice
As I continued my research about the U.S. prison system, I explored restorative justice versus punitive justice. As mass incarceration in the U.S. continues to expand, many argue that our justice system is too punitive. Many advocates for reform call for correction facilities to focus on rehabilitating inmates so they can more easily assimilate back into society after serving their sentences. Also, those advocates argue that inmates receive punishment that is too harsh for their crimes, often leading to very extensive sentences, which take place in inadequate living environments that frequently include mistreatment of prisoners.
According to the American Psychological Association (APA), rehabilitation was once a vital part of the U.S. criminal justice system before the mid 1970s. Many prisoners had the opportunity to not only improve their career skills, but due to court mandates, they also received treatment for a number of issues including substance abuse and hostile behavior. Unfortunately, due to the “Tough on Crime” policies, rehabilitation is no longer considered to be the justice system’s main priority, especially since the U.S. prison population now exceeds 2 million individuals. Another major concern brought up by the APA is that the Department of Justice has found between 15 to 20 percent of those inmates have a mental illness. They assert that many inmates with mental illness are not provided with the care they need since prison psychologists are overwhelmed by the amount of cases they are assigned. Such resources are in a very limited supply in correction facilities. The APA suggests that the “punitive nature” of the U.S. prison system does not ultimately solve the underlying issues of crime, such as child abuse, substance abuse, and poverty. Without solving the underlying issues, after being released from prison, individuals are more at risk for committing future crimes.
Students and Profesors at Hillsdale College in Michigan draw a connection between how schools deal with student punishment and how the justice system focuses on punishment. Authors of an article in The Hillsdale Collegian, the school’s journal, claim that schools are beginning to use an approach called “restorative justice.” Instead of punishing the students, which they assert offers no positive results, restorative justice focuses on helping students solve problems that cause the bad behavior. These Hillsdale students believe that this approach can be a model for our nation’s criminal justice system. They say the current punitive approach with its extensive prison sentences and lack of rehabilitation does not improve crime rates. The Hillsdale Collegian article also agrees with the APA’s argument that more preventative measures should be taken to reduce the prison population, such as improving public education, combatting poverty, and making sure offenders are equipped to return to society.
Both the APA and the Hillsdale Collegian argue that it is time for effective reform in the U.S. criminal justice system. They call for a new response to crime and its perpetrators. I drew the conclusion that both sources would agree the “Tough on Crime” polices and the punitive approach to our justice system do not accomplish their goals to reduce crime. In fact, crime can be related to social issues that are often out of the control of individuals who are convicted of crimes, and addressing those underlying social issues may be a better place to focus our resources.
