A considerable number of criminals commit further crimes after completing their prison sentences. This is largely due to a lack of focus on rehabilitation and a criminal culture within prisons. Possible solutions include more community sentences, emotional and psychological support, and access to further education.
The main causes of the high re-offending rate are a lack of rehabilitation and a criminal culture inside prisons. In many countries, funding for prisons has been scarce, which has led to staff shortages and overcrowding. A recent survey in the UK showed that prisons can be cooped inside their cells for as much as 23 hours a day, with very limited access to emotional and psychological support, so that the underlying mental and social issues are not dealt with. This is compounded by a criminal culture that effectively turns prisons into a finishing school for career criminals. As a result, many recently released criminals struggle to reintegrate into society and instead reach out to ex-prisoners who may still be active criminals.
In order to deal with these issues, the government should use prisons more selectively and focus more on rehabilitation. Many convicted criminals who are sent to prisons are not violent and therefore do not pose a threat to society. Instead of a custodial sentence, they could be forced to work on community projects, especially those related in some way to the nature of their crime. This ensures they avoid the negative effects of being ‘inside’ and encourages restorative justice, which has been shown to be beneficial for both victims and criminals. This could be supported by greater access to counseling support as well as further education in order to provide much-needed support and offer meaningful alternatives.
In conclusion, underfunding in prisons may be a contributing factor to an increase in recidivism. Significantly more investment is needed for a comprehensive program of rehabilitation than merely punishing prisons. Therefore, not only do we need to rehabilitate criminals, but we also need to overhaul our prison system.