The question of revenge versus rehabilitation is age-old and unanswered. By observing our media that shows earnest, square-jawed men condemning the cycle of violence whilst staring intensely into the lense of a camera, one may assume that the decision against revenge has been made. However, that doesn’t mean a decision for rehabilitation has been reached, nor does it mean our legal system reflects this.
Although variations in brutality and living standards exist across the globe, few countries seem to have embraced rehabilitation in its totality, preferring instead to sequester offenders away and, by removing them from society, limit their criminal activity. This approach works, but only as long as the individual remains incarcerated. Upon release, little is done to prevent them from returning to their former lifestyle. On the contrary, in many countries the stigma accompanying a criminal record encourages this by removing alternatives. It seems as though prison, while initially a deterrent, fails its purpose the moment a person is convicted; all it can do then is hold them for a time.
Of course, this depends on what we believe the purpose of prison to be. From the perspective of punishment, most prison systems are certainly successful. The systematic dehumanization, removal of freedom and often violent conditions, in many systems ensure that time spent behind bars is often miserable. Indeed, this is usually exacerbated by high arrest and re-offense rates. According to Penal International, over 120 countries experienced overcrowding in prisons in 2023. In most cases, this actively detracts from a cohesive, peaceful society.
If the purpose of our prisons is to maintain a lawful, peaceful society, then a system based on incarceration rather than rehabilitation is unsustainable. There is evidence that rehabilitation-based prisons, such as those in Norway, lead to lower rates of re-offence, inmate violence, and suicide, with re-offence rates as low as 20%.
The question is clear: which purpose are we aiming to fulfill?
Photo de Giona Mason: https://www.pexels.com/fr-fr/photo/prison-d-alcatraz-17727358/
