Do boot camps/correctional facilities make criminals harder or do they prevent them from becoming worse?

Question

People argue that boot camp instills discipline and makes offenders have respect for themselves. They also argue that new initiatives are needed for repeat offenders and boot camp encompasses education discipline and a variety of courses.

On the other hand, it is aruged that boot camp increases the sense of rage, injustice and lack of control of ones life. What can you expect when you shave someones head make them wear military fatiges and do military excercises, boot camp turns them into more dangerous criminals with the public paying the price.

So where do we draw the line? Whats your position on the need for boot camps/correctional facilities?

Answer 1

My understanding is that the data on boot camp shows no significant difference from regular incarceration (or at least not enough of a difference to make it cost-effective) in terms of reducing new offenses by participants.

The problem with bootcamp (or any other program) is that every individual is different. Even if you put together a test that showed who would most likely benefit from a particular program, any test would have both false positives (people who match the criteria but do not actually benefit from the program) and false negatives (people who don't match the criteria but would actually benefit from the program).

The bottom line is that any "rehablitation" program for offenders is going to be hit and miss. Most judges (and most prosecutors) understand that for less significant offenses, the system should work with first-time offenders to try and see what program works best with them. After all, for these less serious offenses, these defendants will eventually (and sooner rather than later) be released if they are incarcerated, and society is better off if we can rehabilitate them. However, those same judges and prosecutor's understand that there are only so many second chances that you can give before society needs to be protected from those offenders who do not wish to reform or can't be rehabilitated.

Answer 2

There is no such thing as rehabilitation, boot camp or other. Criminals are on a negative path, and most of them continue on it. Boot camp is not going to make a person better. Only the person can decide that. And unfortunately 95% of persons in corrections do not want to become nicer people, regardless of what program we put them in.

Answer 3

I believe that is on an individual basis as to what does happen to the kid. so a bootcamp should interview the person well before being admited