When I think about criminals and the reason that they end up in prison I believe there should be a balance between punishment and rehabilitation.... see i don't think people should commit crimes and just get away with it, i also don't think prison should only be about making someone suffer without giving them a chance to change.
First of all we need to remember the people who have been hurt by these criminals, Imagine someone losing a family member to murder being robbed of everything they have worked for or being abused by someone they trusted, these things can leave people with physical scars that may take years to heal and in some cases the pain never really goes away....
so when people say criminals should be rehabilitated I understand the idea, we should also remember that the victims deserve justice... Yeah.... you cannot just tell someone who has lost someone that the person responsible is now a better person and everybody should move on, nah... It doesn't work like that, the victim and their family also need support and the person who committed the crime must face the consequences of their actions.
However I also believe that punishment alone cannot solve every problem there is.... if we put someone in prison , yes....allow them to spend years there without learning anything or addressing the reasons they committed the crime what happens when they come out? If that person returns to society with the mindset, no useful skills and no plan for a better life there is a possibility they may commit another crime.... you get?...
This is why I think rehabilitation is important, prison should be a place where offenders learn from their mistakes receive education learn a skill and where necessary get help to deal with the issues that contributed to their behaviour. Some people leave prison, want to start afresh but society refuses to give them a chance because of their past, when nobody wants to employ them or accept them it can become harder for them to rebuild their lives.
At the time I don't believe that every criminal should be treated the same way.... heres why..... see someone who steals food because they are hungry is not in the situation, as someone who deliberately murders another person, both actions may have consequences but the circumstances and the harm caused and the persons history should be considered,rehabilitation does not mean ignoring crimes or allowing dangerous people to walk freely among others.....
For me, I think the best approach is to combine punishment with rehabilitation , i mean let people face the consequences of what they have done, give those who can change the opportunity to do so, for offenders protecting the public must remain a priority..
I also think victims should not be forgotten in the process, they deserve justice, counselling, support and where appropriate compensation, rehabilitation should never mean that the suffering of victims no longer matters...
At the end of the day I believe society benefits more when criminals are held accountable and those who can change are helped to become people, prison should protect society deliver justice and reduce the chances of people committing crimes.
Because honestly what is the point of sending someone to prison if they come out and do the same thing again? we need a system that takes justice seriously while still recognising that some people can learn from their mistakes and become human beings.
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