Rehabilitation (penology)
Rehabilitation aims to prevent recidivism by addressing root causes of crime.
Brainshedrach · CC BY-SA 4.0
The approach often includes psychological methods targeting cognitive distortions, as well as general education and career training.[1] Within penology, rehabilitation involves re-educating those who have committed crimes so they can successfully reintegrate into the community.[1] This process aims to tackle the fundamental causes of criminal behavior and lower the likelihood of re-offending following an inmate's return to society.[1]
Key facts and history
Successful rehabilitation is aided by access to medical care, maintaining outside ties, learning new skills, and clear legal safeguards.[2] Norway's prison system, based on normalization, had a reimprisonment rate of only 18% after two years as of 2018.[3] The Indian government advises Vipassana meditation as a standard for social rehabilitation.[4] In Europe, Vipassana courses have been held in Ireland (2015), Spain (2003), the UK (1998), and Israel (2007).[4]
The Council of Europe has stated that crime policy should aim at social reintegration of offenders.[5] The European Court of Human Rights has emphasized the rehabilitative aim of imprisonment, especially toward the end of long sentences.[6] In the United States, less than 1% of $74 billion spent on incarceration went to prevention and treatment.[7] Research indicates that obtaining a GED while incarcerated cuts the chance of re-offending by 14% for inmates younger than 21.[7]
A strong link exists between psychopathy and the likelihood of re-offending, and conventional therapy may teach psychopaths to conceal their actions more effectively.[8][9]
What the cited sources add
A Vipassana meditation account states that thousands of inmates worldwide have taken part in 10-day prison courses.[4] The same source reports that a research study on a Seattle prison program found participants coped better emotionally and reduced drug abuse.[4] A news article describes Donaldson prison in the US as the only maximum-security facility allowing an intense 10-day meditation retreat for inmates.[10] That article notes that volunteers fly in to host three 10-day sitting courses per year at Donaldson.[10]
The news report quotes an inmate saying that during the 10-day retreat, they cannot blame anyone else for their issues.[10]
References
- Wikipedia, "Rehabilitation (penology)" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: Madison, "Criminal Rehabilitation: Programs, Statistics & Definition", Study.com, November 18, 2021 (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
- Wikipedia, "Rehabilitation (penology)" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: Clare Ovey, Ensuring respect of the rights of prisoners under the European Convention on Human Rights as part of their reintegration process , Registry of the E; Clare Ovey, Ensuring respect of the rights of prisoners under the European Convention on Human Rights as part of their reintegration process , Registry of the E; Clare Ovey, Ensuring respect of the rights of prisoners under the European Convention on Human Rights as part of their reintegration process , Registry of the E; Clare Ovey, Ensuring respect of the rights of en.wikipedia.org
- Wikipedia, "Rehabilitation (penology)" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: Correctional Statistics of Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden 2016 – 2020, Ragnar Kristoffersen, University College of Norwegian Correctional Service,; Statistics Norway, access date 24 June 2024, Table 17 Persons charged in base year, by group of principal offence at recidivism and group of principal offence i; Benko, "The Radical Humaneness of Norway's Halden Prison", The New York Times, 26 March 2015; James, "The Norwegian prison where inmates are treated like people", The Guardian, 25 February 2013 (original not en.wikipedia.org
- "Vipassana meditation in prisons", Vipassana Meditation UK, 7 April 2020. facts only, no text reused. uk.dhamma.org
- Wikipedia, "Rehabilitation (penology)" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: Rec(84)10E 21 June 1984 on the criminal record and rehabilitation of convicted persons . (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
- Wikipedia, "Rehabilitation (penology)" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: Clare Ovey, Ensuring respect of the rights of prisoners under the European Convention on Human Rights as part of their reintegration process , Registry of the E (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
- Wikipedia, "Rehabilitation (penology)" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: Reich, "The Economic Impact of Prison Rehabilitation Programs", Wharton Public Policy Initiative, 17 August 2017; "California Welfare and Institutions Code Section 202", California Office of Legislative Counsel (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
- Wikipedia, "Rehabilitation (penology)" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: Marvin Zuckerman (1991) Psychobiology of personality Cambridge University Press, p. 390.; Glenn D. Walters (2006) Lifestyle theory p. 42 Nova Publishers, (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
- Wikipedia, "Rehabilitation (penology)" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: Harris, "Handbook of Psychopathy", 2006, p. 555–572 (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
- "Finding enlightenment while locked up: Prison inmates learn to meditate", WBRC, 23 October 2015. facts only, no text reused. wbrc.com
Each numbered sentence above was checked against the source it cites before publication. Sentences citing Wikipedia adapt text from the English Wikipedia article Rehabilitation (penology) (contributors), used under CC BY-SA 4.0; this entry is available under the same licence. Other sources were used for facts only; no text or images are copied from them.
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