Under the general topic of criminality, there are several important questions that emerge for discussion. One of the central questions in contemporary criminological thought surrounds the treatment of the offender. Within modern society, there are a myriad of attitudes and opinions about the way a convicted criminal should be treated within the legal and societal systems in the United States.
The social context for the treatment of the offender has particular contemporary relevance because of the rise of criminal activity throughout the demographical spectrum. For instance,
Faced with rising crime rates, fiscal limitations, and a conservative political movement, public officials increasingly long for a simply, encompassing policy that would permit them to deal quickly and effectively with criminals. They have also deemphasized rehabilitation in favor of longer prison sentences as a means of reducing crime. Unfortunately, an important truth has almost disappeared during these developments: There are many kinds of criminals, and to fix on any single punitive solution to the problem of crime is simplistic, unjust, and inefficient (Chaiken and Chaiken, 1982, p. 1).
What the new conservativism fails to account for, however, is that there are quantifiable differences between types and efficacy of criminal behavior. This paper will offer an analysis of the treatment of the offender through the readings by Chaiken and Chaiken prepared for the Rand Corporation. It will begin with an overview of the corpus of collected material, and then turn to an analysis of the ethical issues involved, certain alternatives to current incarceration policies, and will conclude with the dichotomous opinions on the issue and an analysis of the trends presented by the readings.
There are clearly identifiable varieties of criminal behavior present within society. The qualitative arrangement of this type of behavior naturally assumes difference...