9781422280003

Asecond reason for alternatives to prison is that some experts believe incarcer- ation is ineffective; they think that prison just doesn’t work. Also, too often young offenders become hardened by their experiences in prison and face no future out- side of crime. Much research shows that being sent to prison does little to prevent further crime. For example, according to a study by the Pew Center on the States, over 40 percent of all people leaving prison will reoffend and be back in prison within three years of their release. A report by the U.S. Sentencing Commission found that almost half (49.3 percent) of 25,400 former inmates who were either released from federal prisons in 2005 or put on probation had been arrested again

within thenext eight years, either for a new offense or for violating condi- tions of theirparoleor release. These high recidivism rates are discour- aging and are some of the reasons why lawmakers and criminal justice professionals are rethinking the use of prisons.

Exploring cost-effective alternatives to prison. More Effective, Less Expensive

Some of the many alternatives to prison

• Halfway houses: Low-security, supervised-living, community-based homes where convicts can transition from prison to life on the outside. • House arrest: Confinement at home often while wearing an electronic monitoring device. • Mental health, sex offender, and drug treatment programs: Programs offered often in residential facilities to address psychological and substance abuse problems. • Boot camps: Short-term, intensive programs (often run outdoors) designed to teach convicts mental and physical discipline. The History of Punishment Our modern prisons began as an alternative to earlier forms of punishment. (For further information, see the first volume of The Prison System series, The History of Punishment and Imprisonment .) Before the 1800s prisons did not exist in the United States. Offenders were punished quickly and directly for their crimes. Punishments in colonial America varied widely and often depended on the amount of money a person had. The rich might be fined, and if they demonstrated good behavior, they might even get that money back. The

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Prison Alternatives and Rehabilitation

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