The Forever Changing System

The Forever Changing System

Kathy Davis

CRJ303: Correction`s

Instructor: Maria Karabekou

August 24, 2014

The Forever Changing System Introduction

Through the years the correctional system has gone through many changes it has come from an era when it did not matter if you were guilty or not if someone accused you of committing a crime you were guilty and punished for it. Today an individual is not considered guilty until it has been proven beyond a reasonable doubt. We have come from a time were the offender had no rights at all to situations where the offenders are allowed more rights than they allow their victims. In some states in this country our prisons are so full we have had to hire private prisons to relieve overcrowding. Throughout the many different changes in the history of the correctional system the one thing that has remained the same is the victims need for retribution. There maybe a few cases were the victim or the victim’s family has forgiven the offender but most believe that the only way to have closure and move on is through retribution. When a person commits a crime they know if they are caught there are consequences but they still choose to disregard the law the correctional system is there to oversee the punishment for the crime committed. Retribution, deterrence, incapacitation, rehabilitation, reintegration are the main elements in corrections the belief that these elements are the key to a successful institution and will be discussed throughout this essay.

The Forever Changing System

Throughout history there have been many different forms of punishment for individuals accused of committing a crime. In the 18th century if an individual was accused of committing a crime they were punished for it. The individual that was accused was not given the opportunity to prove their innocence it became a way of life for those in the 18th century. Things in the 19th century were even worse the punishment was more severe punishments such as...