• Research Paper on:
    The Promise of Decarceration

    Number of Pages: 9

     

    Summary of the research paper:

    This 9 page paper looks at the decarceration proposals by prison activists. An example from Finland is provided. The paper argues that decarceration is a good idea and will change society for the better but is probably something that will not happen soon. Bibliography lists 5 sources.

    Name of Research Paper File: RT13_SA339de.rtf

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    Unformatted Sample Text from the Research Paper:
    with imprisonment." At the same time, "decarceration may allow for greater social control and contact with the criminal justice system. " Indeed, decarceration may be the answer for the  problems inherent in the criminal justice system today. What is decarceration and what are its effects on society? Lappi-Seppala (2002) puts it simply by saying that decarceration is "the trend  toward less incarceration" (p.30). This is a trend not seen in the U.S. with its tough on crime stances in respect to things like "three strikes and your out" rules  and mandatory drug sentencing guidelines. Rather, it seems that there is a trend towards incarceration in the United States. However, the U.S. is not representative of world trends and there  had in fact been a movement toward decarceration that had taken place in the Netherlands up to the mid-1980s (Davis & Rodriguez, 2000). This trend appeared to establish the  Dutch model as a successful prison system (2000). There are many people in the U.S., and around the world, who see the current system of locking people away as  counterproductive. Davis & Rodriguez (2000) point to a handbook that shows a contradictory relationship when exploring the present prison system and ideologically embracing an "enlightened, free society" (2000, p.212). It  does seem somewhat archaic to simply round up and keep people behind bars when there are better alternatives. Prison abolition has been to some a long term goal and a  book referred to by authors argues that abolitionist approaches require an evaluation of just what crime is and what links it to social structures (Davis & Rodriguez, 2000). Why  might such an exploration suggest the viability of decarceration? Such theories do not dote on individual pathology which tends to go to treating the individual but rather use strategies 

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