Program Evaluation PaperW5
Running Head: Offense and the Correctional Systems
Offense and the Correctional Systems 13
Offense and the Correctional Systems
Chalyne Arvie
Course
Professor
[Name of Institution]
January 25, 2019
Questions should be answered underneath the question 150-200 WORDS PER QUESTION (words will be counted per question CITATIONS AND REFERENCES INCLUDED
NEEDS TO BE DESCRIPTIVE INFORMATION NOT GENERAL
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1. Determine the purpose of programs for individuals involved with the correctional system.
The purpose of the correctional system has been based on correcting the behaviors of the offenders. Correction is not an easy task as it is among the toughest challenges of the society. The purpose of the correction program is to correct the behaviors of offenders by educating them and supervising their behavior that is not appropriate according to the values and norms defined by certain culture society and the laws implemented there. The main focus is to carry out the sentence of the offender along with these four important parameters (Krisberg, 2015).
· Retribution
· Deterrence
· Incapacitation
· Rehabilitation
The correctional program is devised to plan an intervention for the criminal acts and behaviors that are committed by the offenders. The intervention plan provides the opportunity to the participants who are seeking help through intervention plan with a set of skills to deal with their issues and help them to not to commit the crime in future. Education and supervision are helpful in defining the effectivity of the program that is good for the community-based programs. Educating the offender buildups sense of acting appropriately in the society.
2. Describe the main theories or methodologies that inform correctional programs.
There are some important theories that provide the theoretical background to the correctional program. One of the famous correctional theory presented by Howard Becker (1960) is labeling theory. According to the labeling theory highlight, the role of labeling in the context of sociological perspective as the label of the deviant provoke a behavior of the criminal tendency leading to the crime. The labeling can be dangerous in a perspective that it can strengthen the self-sense and the criminal or deviant behavior can become deviant and stay longer with the offender (Burnberg , 2009). Correctional theories are based on correcting the behavior of the offender by positive or negative sanctions that are the fundamental base. Correctional theories are focused on the common goal that is based on social control and keeping the people away from deviant behavior. On the other hand community and educational program work on the betterment and improvement of the individual by providing him education and awareness to correct the criminal behavior. Adding to that the focus of correctional theories is on the social life of the people who are in prison, community and educational programs helps the people in prison to correct their behavior.
3. Explain how and why correctional programs have changed over time?
The public opinion of punishment for crimes has changed and evolved over centuries. The wars, famine, exploration, enlightenment, everything has contributed to shape the way society deals with offenders today and has changed how they dealt with it over various periods of time. Generally, people have moved away from more terrible forms of punishments such as blood feuds and wars to more formal procedures and systems. Jails and correctional facilities have also moved away from physical torment such as flogging and whipping, even condiment itself has become a debatable form of punishment. In 1870, the National Prison association was formed which met in Ohio and issued declaration of principles according to which suffering should not be a valid form of punishment, instead, offenders should be educated to perform as functional citizens of the society. It was made crucial to make prisoners realize they can redeem themselves and perform the civic duties to which they are entrusted to as regular citizens. By 1900 the philosophy had spread everywhere, by World War the concept of educational and rehabilitative approaches had replaced the use of strict discipline nationwide.
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1. Identify the risk and needs of an individual involved with the correctional system.
Typically speaking, the risk and needs assessment instruments are specifically used to determine the capability of one person who might derive to the offense once again, and create problems for the society, since prevention is the better cure. Assessments are classified into three categories of recidivism that are high, moderate and low risk. While the assessment instruments are of two types i.e. static and dynamic risk factors which describes the intensity and behavior of the person. For example risk factor are constant like one’s age when he or she was arrested and the gender, but at the same time, dynamic risk factors are not constant. They change with the passage of time and depend on the mood and behavior of the offense. The offender’s current age and education level along with employment are judged and monitored. Generally it is seen the moderate level is mostly used to determine the capability of one person’s recidivism, and it is the most important part where one can astray or change the line.
2. Analyze the role of risk and needs assessment in case management and case planning
Generally, if one person is in trial or outside the prison while he/ she is completing his/ her probation or parole time, the risk assessment is crucial, because this is the time where the chances of recidivism are more higher than any other time. The offender always in doubt and sometimes feels depression and anxiety which ultimately leads to another crime and the charges while wiping out the first crime are not taken away, the offender in inflicted into another serious punishment and provoke the disconnection of probation or parole. The risk assessment is seen and realized as the crucial phase and the offender is closely monitored. That is why various risk assessment methodologies are utilized to pursue what is the ultimate vision of the offender and how will he/ she behave while out of the prison and how surrounding people will behave or welcome him/ her. Sometimes, family and friends often criticize the offender or disconnect their relationship and that crucial time creates chaos in one’s personality and things turn into another wrong direction (Krisberg, 2015).
It is always suggested by various research groups and bodies that offenders should be given time while they are on parole and treated them differently. This is the crucial time, when one can learn the lessons and become a good citizen again, or even though he/ she prepare his/ her case more vigilantly and prove himself/ herself innocent. This is the time where psychotherapy is needed and the offender should be treated as a patient, and people must give attention to him/ her while protecting one’s dignity (James , 2018).
W3
1. Identify different types of available correctional programs.
There are the different type of correctional programs available for the offender based on the type of criminal offenses they are involved. These programs have been designed for men some of them are these General crime prevention program focuses on the general or basic healing or alternative program, National sex offender program, Substance abuse programs, and integrated correctional model program.
The correctional program designed for women is different based on the intensity and severity of the program, such as Self-management programs, Women sex offender programs, and many others. The program designed for women are based on the needs of women and fulfill the basic need related to women issue according to the intensity and severity of the issue. Cognitive behavior therapy is the correctional model that helps to deal with the cognition of the offenders and identify the key dissonance in the though pattern of the offenders that helps them to understand the correct behavior. Motivational interviewing program is used for drug abuse and substance abuse offenders. Furthermore, an integrated approach works best to deal with multi-dimensions of the offender by educating him and providing skillful training to offenders to adjust according to the requirement of the law and society with appropriate behavior (National Institute of Justice , 2019).
2. Examine the effectiveness of correctional programs in assisting individuals with transitioning into the community.
Correctional programs have been effective for the offenders to help them their transition to society. Effectivity of these correction programs is based on the checkup and follow up of the offenders who have come up toward the rehabilitation. Over the previous 25 years research has evidence that there are certain groups that are presenting their effectivity and potential of helping those in need effectively. According to the ACI, Sex offenders and substance abuse programs are those correctional programs that have been effective for the offenders. There is an evident need of assessment programs. There is a lack of resources that lessen the effectivity of the programs hence the efforts on a governmental level are needed to implement to enhance the effectivity of the programs. The support of the government with funding would help the program executors to operate the program more effectively (Miceli , 2009). Correctional programs have been effective in rehabilitating the offenders in society by correcting their behaviors and educating them.
W4
1. Examine how the helping process can be utilized in correctional programs.
Helping processes of the correctional program follows a way of supporting the offenders by applying an integrated approach to reach the effectivity of the program. Correctional programs regulate the helping process by focusing on the various aspect such as motivational interviewing, counselling the individual, providing educational help in order to find the appropriate behavior according to a particular situation. Help is made by community-based programs and also institution-based programs. Educational support and awareness help to promote the self-management skills and appropriate behavior to correct criminal behaviors. An integrated approach based on the cognitive level societal level and educational level have been supportive of the help process for the offenders. Trained and professional counselors may provide a productive help and support to the offender by providing counselling related to the correctional procedures and productive methods to get the effective results from the correctional programs (Braswell & Mongold , 2009).
2. Explain the skills necessary to facilitate the helping process in correctional programs.
There are certain skills that are needed to be present in the helping process of the correctional program first and foremost effective program understanding, and management skills are essential to follow the correction program by keeping in focus the purpose of the program. Furthermore, there are certain skills that are based on the personal set of skills such as listening carefully being genuine, be empathetic and to understand the act is criminal and offensive hence it is needed to be dealt with. Good communication skills are big support that is used in convincing others. A good counselor can be an effective helper as he helps the offender to change his perspective and think about changing the criminal act. Moreover, the issues at a personal level are needed to be resolved to live a positive and healthy life and correction counselor can play a productive role in dealing with such a situation. Removing the barriers and promoting the effectivity of the team while dealing with the offender can result in a productive way to deal with the issue (Hayes & Blunt , 2011).
3. Determine treatment programs for an individual involved with the correctional system.
Treatment programs for the individuals involved in correctional system are based on the type of issue the offender is facing such as if the issue is related to the substance abuse the person needs an intervention based on medication and the social and psychological help with cognitive behavior therapy to rehabilitate in the society, whereas if the issue is related to violence cognitive and supportive psychotherapy can be supportive. Hence the treatment plan is designed according to the need of the criminal. An integrated approach is found to be more beneficial while dealing with the criminal as integrated approach covers all the areas to help the offender to correct their behavior in terms of education, to remove physical and psychological dependence, to change the thinking that provokes the criminal behavior. Hence it is important to understand the need of offender to finalize a treatment plan for the offender who is involved in the correction program. Therapeutic techniques are effective and helpful in providing support and help in making treatment effective (Kapoor et al., 2018).
1. Determine the risks and needs of a population of individuals involved with the correctional system.
The Risk and Needs principle are assessment instruments to determine what sort of a correctional program, an offender qualifies to, what sort of treatment, rehabilitation they need and require and what outcomes to expect of their treatment. The effective evaluation of offender’s makers it easy to match them to a program tailored specifically for an individual in their condition. The risk principle classifies the offenders according to the intensity of the risk they pose to recidivism, into high risk, medium risk, and low-risk categories. Higher risk offenders exhibit a number of qualities that escalates the chances of them of reoffending, and these must be addressed with more intensive interventions.
The needs principle addresses the criminogenic needs of the offender. It identifies and recognizes several important factors affecting the offender including substance abuse, maladaptive cognitive and emotional processes, negative family and peer influences, pro-criminal values and attitudes, and environmental influences (James , 2018).
Both the risk and needs are combined to help individuals in correctional systems be matched and provided with better treatment programs.
2. Determine evidence-based practices for programs tailored to individuals involved with the correctional system.
Evidence-based practices were used originally in the health care and social science fields. The practices include methods demonstrated to be effective through proved results and research rather than through anecdote or professional experience. It's the balanced and responsible use of current research and available data to practice the best approaches that may guarantee the best outcomes.
The biggest reform in correctional programs today is adopting evidence-based programs, these focused approaches are being recommended as the go to methods for rehabilitation. Most of these practices have been scientifically tested and tried and have proven to produce results in specific scenarios, which the offenders can be evaluated upon using the risks and need or any other form of assessment. The goal is to improve the overall criminal justice program and prescribe plans in scenarios to individuals who only qualify to it and can be guaranteed results with it, tailored for each and every offender in any situation (Judicial Counsel of California, 2019).
3. Design a correctional program to address the risk and needs of a population of individuals involved with the correctional system.
Hazard and Needs evaluation includes a progression of instruments used to gather information on guilty party's practices. Demeanors, history, and wellbeing all of which demonstrate on the off chance that they may perpetrate a wrongdoing once more. Guilty parties based on these assessments are delegated high, medium or generally safe of recidivism. Planning a run of the mill appraisal comprises of choosing the correct components to assess, there are two sorts of elements, static and dynamic, static hazard factors don't change, the dynamic elements, be that as it may, can change or can be changed through mediations. Static variables incorporate age at first capture, sexual orientation, past issues with substance, a background marked by disregarding terms of supervision (e.g., parole or probation), liquor misuse or earlier emotional wellness issues. Dynamic hazard factors additionally called "criminogenic needs" can change as well as can be changed through cures, restorative projects, and intercessions. Models incorporate current age, instruction level, business status, current substance use, conjugal status, and private steadiness. People ought to be passed judgment on dependent on such criteria to figure out what kind of program they meet all requirements to in the remedial; framework (LowenKamp and Latessa, 2004).
4. Describe the process of evaluating correctional programs.
Evaluating correctional programs is much argued upon a subject, just like defining the purpose of codirectional programs, expert over the years have had conflicting opinions. According to most practitioners of law, the purpose of correctional programs is to reduce recidivism. Many have argued that the entire justice system is responsible for complete correction of a criminal and to diminish the chances of them committing a crime again, hence correctional program should not be evaluated on that. Instead, the programs should be evaluated on the needs of the client recognized at starting of the program, and then show how well did the program perform to help clients overcome those flaws and shortcomings that triggered criminal behavior. For instance, in the case of substance abuse disorders what can be measured is the efficiency of the facility/programs in eliminating such disorders in criminals who committed a crime triggered by that specific disorder. There are a number of programs today which claim to cure an offender and rehabilitate them out of their drug problems, and they must be evaluated on the results they are producing, i.e. actually curing offenders of drug problems (Duriez et al., 2018).
References Braswell, M., & Mongold , J. L. (2009). The process of corectional counselling and Treatment. Newark: Mathew bender & Company, Inc . Burnberg , J. G. (2009). Labeling theory. In: Marvin D. Krohn, Alan Lizotte & Gina Penly Hall (eds), Handbook on Crime and Deviance. New York: Springer . Hayes, J., & Blunt , C. (2011). Making prisons work:Skills for rehabilitation. Review of offender learnig, 1-33. James , N. (2018). Risks and Needs assessment in Fedral prison system . Congressional Reserch Service , 1-18. Judicial Counsel of California. (2019). Evidence based practice. Retrieved from California Courts: https://www.courts.ca.gov/5285.htm Krisberg. (2015). The correction system. New York: Sage Publishing Inc. LowenKamp, C. T., & Latessa, ,. E. (2004). Understanding the risk principle, How and why correctional intervention can harm low risk offenders. Topics in community corrections, 1-6. Miceli , V. (2009). Analysing the Effectiveness of rehabilitation programs. Senior Honor projects , 1-38. National Institute of Justice . (2019). Correction & Reentry. Retrieved from Crime Solutions.gov: https://www.crimesolutions.gov/TopicDetails.aspx?ID=31