Correctional philosophies are rationales that juvenile justice officials use to justify why a particular mode of punishment should be used over another. Thus, correctional philosophies generally dictate what sort of sanction is used. The four primary correctional philosophies and their respective sanctions are summarized below.
A correctional philosophy centered on the treatment model generally holds that sanctions for delinquency should address its core causes, like education or home life, as the treatment model emphasizes focusing on the rehabilitation of the offender.
The fair and balanced restorative justice modelseeks to evenly distribute the resources (programs and services designed to address the core issues of delinquency) of the justice system to ensure that all juveniles who enter it are given equal opportunities. Sanctions of this model are based on restorative justice and thus include the victim, the offender, and the community in repairing any harm done by the offense.
On the other end of the spectrum, a correctional philosophy focused on the justice model dictates that delinquent youth be punished as long as the punishment is proportionate to the seriousness of the offense—this model is primarily concerned with punishing those who violate the law.
Similarly, the crime control model is concerned with protecting the life and property of the innocent. Thus, this model favors sanctions that are swift, severe, and useful in demonstrating the consequences of breaking the law.
Submission Details:
By the due date assigned, in a minimum of 250 words, post to the Discussion Area your response to the following:
- Which of the four punishment philosophies do you prefer and why?
- Which philosophy is followed most frequently in your state or local juvenile justice system? Do you think this philosophy is effective? Why? Cite at least one journal article and at least one news article that support your position.
