Concepts of Correction and Penology

Most authorities tend to agree that the use of incarceration as a means of punishing criminals is a comparatively new concept. There is no evidence (either in fact or on paper) of institutions that in any way resemble the modern penitentiaries dating back further than the last three centuries. The prison, in fact, was invented with the most humanitarian of intentions. The purpose of incarceration was, originally, to spare wrongdoers from the barbarism of corporal and capital punishment. This concept of the prison as a humanitarian institution might be very difficult to sell to the inmates of a modern penitentiary, but that was the intent of the founders of the first such prisons (Morison, 1965, pp. 400-417).

Prior to that change in societal concepts, most official acts of punishment fell into two categories: corporal and capital. The former was defended by many in that it was cheap and over with very quickly for the criminal. The latter was defended for the same reasons, although victims of this latter category of treatment might not have wanted it to be "over" so quickly. Both provided the general public with a vicious, obscene spectacle, but that was not included in official discussions of the pros

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rol of his life, his ability to earn a living and his self-respect. Obviously, this sort of system works best with those who have committed misdemeanors or minor felonies. It would hardly be justifiable for a judge to let a convicted murderer go free with his personal promise "never to do it again." In cases where an individual is guilty of certain white collar crimes, or disrespect for the law in comparatively small ways, however, this probationary system is very effective as a means of ensuring that the offense is not repeated, In addition, since the convicted criminal is not left in the penitentiary situation where crime is taught on a day to day basis, the prisoner left on probation becomes free to go on living without the sort of contacts and knowledge of how to make society pay for having arrested and convicted him (Ohlin, 1973). This system of probation has been attacked from the left- as well as from the right-wing law and order position. The more radical criticism of this sort of judicial leniency is based on the fact that it tends to create a system of class privilege under law. According to the basic principles of the probation system, an individual who has committed a crime, but who has a good job, a steady inc
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Some common words found in the essay are:
United Wilson, Supreme Court, Australia Zealand, , January Debate, British Empire, Service Franklin, criminal activity, September Politics, Americans Republic, Current History, prison life, security prisons, 1976 february, outside prison, probation system, minimum security, modern penitentiary, february 28, 1976 february 28, franklin 1976 february, penitentiary system, wilson 1977 january, 1977 january pp, 28 pp 241-242,
Approximate Word count = 8415
Approximate Pages = 34 (250 words per page)

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