The society’s response to crime is shown in different forms that has evolved over time. In this paper, we will discuss how society’s response to crime has impacted public policy, sentencing practices, and correctional operations in different ways. This paper will also go over the reasons why there is a need for punishment and crime. Also it will focus on an emphasis on punishment and rehabilitation. First, what are some of society’s responses to crime? Some of responses are getting their voices heard through protesting, social networking threats, riots, boycotting, and even an act of terrorism.
The society’s views on crime and punishment has evolved over a great period of time. (Siegel 2013) They use to base the law off of religious beliefs and conservative ways of punishment, which consisted of the electric chair and hangings. However, laws have been influenced to the liberal or flexible ways such as self-defense, proclaiming insanity, and the acceptance of advanced technology and science as a reference of evidence. The society’s perspective about things are very important in the criminal justice system.
Public policy is the course of government action or inaction in response to public problems. The society’s outlook matters and it helps generate and design restrictions within the community and support public policy. (Siegel 2013) If the society is constantly complaining about crime, public policy (Congress) will eventually listen and make changes in laws to help make the community feel safe. If public policy fails to answer to the society, the society may take matters into their own hands and not trust or believe in law.
For an example, the public has a fear of sex offenders. Policymakers will form or progress polices in treatment accommodations for those people to make the community feel safe and also have the offenders register to make the society aware of where they reside. Describe how society’s response to crime impacts sentencing practices. When it comes to sentencing, it is the most serious public policy matter. The society’s response to crime effects sentencing practices. (Siegel 2013) The morals of the community is significant.
Sentencing practices are impacted by the society and are based off of the harm committed against victims of a crime as well as the effect of the crime from the society’s point of view. Society does not always get heard, but when they are heard massively in size, the Federal and State governments reply to society with legislation and regulation. (Aos 2006) This is to help gain and rebuild integrity. Also, sentencing practices are impacted by society and changes the way they evaluate things such as the length of stay for offenders. Describe how society’s response to crime impacts correctional operations.
In order for a change to occur, someone must take a step to demand a change. In the correctional facilities, they are impacted by the complaints of overcrowding and in women correctional facilities, being sexually abused by workers. (Aos 2006) More and more inspections will apply. Sometimes the society’s response to crime does not always impact the correctional operations. There will always be a need for crime and punishment. Crime acknowledges the difference between a citizen’s conduct is either right or wrong and punishment convict citizens and enforce the law.
Without crime or laws, how would one know if wrong doing is occurring? We need punishment for those that does not understand the law and are not fit to live in society. Punishment also provides valuable penalties and teaches a lesson. (Siegel 2013) An emphasis on punishment or rehabilitation is basically the concept of consequences versus rehabilitation. In opinion, people would rather send an offender to a rehabilitation center versus sending someone to prison. This seems like an act of saving money.
Rehabilitation, this is a place to help offenders with addiction or problems so that they can reform from criminal tendencies. (Siegel 2013) Punishment is something the society thinks should be permanent in order to reframe from society as a whole. In conclusion, society response to crime enhances public policy, sentencing practices and correctional operations. The society is sometimes heard and sometimes ignored by these different groups. The society only wants justice and fairness. The society only wants new ways to resolve new types of crimes and for the community to feel safe.