NCJ Number
52536
Date Published
1978
Length
15 pages
Annotation
PRINCIPLES OF A SCIENTIFIC-PRAGMATIC CLASSIFICATION MODEL ARE STATED AND DISCUSSED.
Abstract
IT IS ACKNOWLEDGED THAT THE CURRENT CORRECTIONAL SYSTEMS LARGELY HAVE FAILED TO ALTER CRIMINAL BEHAVIOR AND REDUCE THE RISING CRIME RATE. STILL, COMMITMENT TO THE EVOLUTION OF AN EVER MORE EFFECTIVE TREATMENT MODEL IN DEALING WITH OFFENDERS IS BETTER ALTERNATIVE THAN RETURNING TO THE PUNITIVE MODEL. SCIENTIFIC ANALYSES OF CRIMINAL BEHAVIOR TO DETERMINE ITS ROOT CAUSES, COUPLED WITH THOROUGH REVELATIONS CONCERNING THE BACKGROUND AND NEEDS OF PARTICULAR OFFENDERS, CAN LEAD TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF PROGRAMS THAT CAN EFFECT POSITIVE CHANGE IN OFFENDERS. THE DIAGNOSTIC PROCEDURE SHOULD BE CONDUCTED BY A TEAM OF PROFESSIONAL SPECIALISTS, EACH OF WHOM HAS AN UNDERSTANDING OF THE HOLISTIC, MULTIDIMENSIONAL APPROACH TO HUMAN PROBLEMS. THE TREATMENT PLAN DEVISED FROM THE DIAGNOSIS ALSO SHOULD HAVE A MULTIDIMENSIONAL CHARACTER. THE CLASSIFICATION AND TREATMENT PROCESS SHOULD INVOLVE CONTINUING, COMPREHENSIVE MEASUREMENT TO DETERMINE PROGRESS AND NEEDED MODIFICATIONS IN THE TREATMENT PLAN. OFFENDERS SHOULD NOT BE RELEASED FROM A WELL-CONCEIVED PROGRAM UNTIL THEY HAVE SHOWN SUFFICIENT PROGRESS IN TREATMENT. TO INCREASE EFFECTIVENESS, EVERY EFFORT SHOULD BE MADE TO MAXIMIZE THE USE OF COMMUNITY-BASED TREATMENT. TOWARD THIS END, CLASSIFICATION SHOULD DETERMINE THE DEGREE OF CUSTODY A GIVEN OFFENDER REQUIRES. INFORMATION GAINED FROM CLASSIFICATION AND TREATMENT SHOULD BE USED ALSO TO MANAGE SOCIOECONOMIC ENVIRONMENTS FOR THE PREVENTION OF CRIME. (RCB)