Citation

Kolstad A. J. Crim. Justice 1996; 24(4): 323-335.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1996, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1016/0047-2352(96)00020-7

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

The imprisonment of offenders is compared with hospitalization of psychiatric patients as confinement in total institutions. Although the number of patients in hospitals has decreased in all western countries in recent years because institutionalization is contraindicated as a means of rehabilitation, the number of offenders in prison has increased. The consequences of putting people in prison are discussed. Thirty-six prisoners were asked about punishment and prison as a place for rehabilitation and for the prevention of reoffending. They were interviewed and they completed a questionnaire. Eighteen offenders serving community work (CW) completed an abridged version of the questionnaire. Offenders serving their sentence in prison seem to become more hostile and critical toward ordinary society than offenders serving community work. The feeling of being a deviant in the society was reinforced in prison. Two-thirds of the prisoners did not believe that imprisonment would have any deterrent effect. Nine out of ten respondents agreed that prisons are 'criminal universities.' The offenders accepted that their offenses were, and should be, illegal and were ready to be punished. The prisoners, however, did not think that long-term passive imprisonment made sense. A great majority proposed 'community work' as the most appropriate and effective punishment with regard to rehabilitation. The prisoners are probably right. Imprisonment does not lead to rehabilitation or a law-abiding life outside prison. Confinement is a pseudosolution to the criminal problem. The necessary steps in a rehabilitation program for offenders are outlined.