As Dr. Latessa aptly states, the objective of correctional facilities is to rehabilitate inmates so that they do not reoffend after serving their jail term. According to Dr. Latessa, the most effective way of attaining such an objective is through incorporation of programs that have been tested and proven to reduce recidivism. These programs constitute what Dr. Latessa refers to as evidence based practice. This essay discusses such two programs, which include: cognitive behavioral therapy for moderate and high-risk adult offenders and gender-specific programming for incarcerated females.
The cognitive behavioral therapy for moderate and high-risk adult offenders was seemingly developed after realizing that some individuals developed negative perceptions towards certain social issues. These perceptions are learnt, and not inherited; people may become influenced or triggered to commit crime by their peers or after going through a traumatizing event. Cognitive behavioral therapy, therefore, aims at changing the thinking patterns of the offenders. This program, according to Dr. Latessa, has reduced significantly the rates of recidivism among high-risk offenders.
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The gender-specific program aims at rehabilitating female offenders because experts posit that women different thinking patterns from males. That means that women are isolated and put in their own correctional facilities away from the men. The objective of this program is to teach positive social skills to the target female offenders. Some of the lessons the women are taught include: anger and stress management, HIV infection prevention, avoiding drug and substance abuse, as well as parenting skills. When such women are released, they become advocates of positive societal change and reduce their reoffending rates.
Response to Peers
Indeed, it is prudent that prisons be rehabilitative centers and not be reduced to punitive facilities. When offenders are subjected to tough labor and other harsh conditions in prisons, they tend to develop negative perceptions towards life. The harsh conditions seemingly hardens a majority of them, who will readily reoffend after being released. As a result, the correctional facilities would not have attained their objective. On the contrary, using proven models such as the ones that are mentioned in this article is a more effective way of preventing crime. The offenders are taught how to develop a positive view of life and even imparted with practical skills that help them to live cohesively with the other members of the society.
