Criminology is the study that explores how the society-crime-and-punishment relationship is dynamic. These issues have seen social views on them change widely over time, significantly affecting sentencing guidelines, public policy, and penal operations. This essay will examine the history underlying society’s perspective on crime and punishment, the necessity for a criminal justice system, recent amendments to sentencing guidelines, modern differences between punishment-focused and rehabilitative approaches, and the pivotal impacts of personal perspectives on diversity and cultural play.
Evolution of Society’s Views on Crime and Punishment
An exciting approach to understanding the concept of contemporary criminal justice is considering how society’s perception of crime and punishment has evolved over the years. Previously, punitive measures could be quite harsh since they focused on retaliation and deterrence (UNODC, 2019). Nonetheless, notions of justice changed along with the culture’s development, including social integration and correction components. This reflects on our increased understanding of crime’s complexities and what works best.
The demand for crime and punishment.
This leads to setting up a crime and punishment system that ensures social order and peace. Crime makes the community feel insecure and has no faith in one another. This leads to the creation of measures to enforce the law, safeguard people, and deter potential perpetrators. The fundamental desire for such creates legal systems, judiciary, and law enforcement agencies whose frameworks constitute a coherent policy against crime infliction (Singh, 2022).
Shift in Sentencing Laws
Sentence laws underwent a significant metamorphosis in the latter part of the twentieth century due to the “tough on crime” movement. Due to increasing crime rates, they argued in favor of harsher sentences, mandatory sentences, and overall emphasized punishment. As a result, they experienced increased incarcerations, which resulted in more strain on criminal justice resources and correctional facility overcrowding (Sabol et al., 2022). Likewise, it was clear that the public also appreciated the inadequacy of a strictly punitive stance. The “get tough on crime” movement emphasized this fact and showed the need to address the challenging matter of criminal activity more progressively and comprehensively.
“Impact of “Get Tough on Crime” on Public Policy
Public policy was significantly influenced by the “Get Tough on Crime” campaign. As a result, governments enacted laws prioritizing punishments instead of rehabilitation due to public demands. This increased the number of people who were incarcerated, which generated issues like overcrowding of the prison, stretched budgets within the criminal justice system, and the realization that broad criminal justice reform was needed. The significance of judging how these policy decisions impact the overall performance and health of the criminal justice system was underscored by this historical era.
Current Emphasis on Punishment or Rehabilitation
There is a noticeable movement in the current environment toward realizing the limitations of a strictly punitive approach to crime. Policymakers and experts in the criminal justice field are beginning to recognize the value of restorative justice and rehabilitation as effective alternatives to mass incarceration (Hutchings et al., 2019). This entails tackling the underlying reasons for criminal conduct, supporting community-based rehabilitation programs, and offering instruction and vocational training inside correctional facilities. A greater awareness of the complexity of crime and the possibility of good change is reflected in recognizing the need for a more comprehensive and rehabilitative approach.
Impact of Individual Perspectives on Multiculturalism and Diversity:
It is impossible to overestimate the influence of individual viewpoints on diversity and multiculturalism on how people respond to crime. Advocates for inclusive and fair criminal justice policies are more likely to be people with a broad and sympathetic awareness of varied origins. Understanding the intricacies that lead to criminal behavior and the significance of adjusting actions to be culturally sensitive is fostered by exposure to diverse cultures. On the other hand, people who don’t have a lot of exposure to variety might be more biased, which might influence how they see crime and punishment. To address this issue, educational initiatives that develop a sophisticated awareness of the connections between criminal conduct, diversity, and culture must be developed in addition to encouraging diversity within the criminal justice system.
Impact of “Get Tough on Crime” on Public Policy
The “Get Tough on Crime” campaign greatly influenced public policy. In such cases, the public demanded that governments prioritize punishments instead of rehabilitation, thus enacting laws to punish offenders. As a result, more people were being incarcerated, causing overcrowding in the prison, increased expenditures in the criminal justice system, and the realization that broad criminal justice reform was necessary. This historical era emphasized judging the impact of these policy decisions on the overall efficiency and health of the criminal justice system.
Current Emphasis on Punishment or Rehabilitation
Within the contemporary climate, an apparent movement seeks to appreciate the limits of a strictly retributory approach to crime. Policymakers and criminal justice professionals recognize that restorative justice and rehabilitation are effective alternatives to mass imprisonment (Hutchings et al., 2019). This means addressing the roots of criminal activities, community reintegration programs, vocational skills, and education within correctional facilities. The need for a more wholesome and rehabilitating approach reflects an increased understanding of the intricacies surrounding crime and how possible it is to create a pathway for positive change.
Impact of Individual Perspectives on Multiculturalism and Diversity
The importance of personal opinions on diversity and multiculturalism’s influence on community responses to criminality cannot be underemphasized. Such people with a wide perspective on different origins are more likely to be advocates who support fair and democratic laws. Exposure to different cultures helps understand the complexities that cause crime and the need to align action with cultural sensitivity. However, those who lack variety exposure could be more biased, affecting their understanding of crime and punishment. This problem can be solved by developing educational initiatives that develop a sophisticated understanding of linkages between criminal acts, diversity, and culture and promoting diversity within the criminal justice system.
Conclusion
Historical strands present a picture of different approaches to punishing crimes in society – from punishment to a more sophisticated concept of justice. The “get tough on crime” phenomenon changed history by unmasking the shortcomings of severe punishment and triggering revision of the existing criminal justice system. Today, society focuses on rehabilitation and not just punishment since it is known that such all-round ways are required to address the real reason people commit crimes. With such an intricate atmosphere, individual opinions about multiculturalism and diversity become crucial for developing a sensitive and inclusive criminology oriented toward respecting various cultural perspectives. As we explore the intricacies of crime and punishment, it is important to understand that history, legislation, and individual perspectives all contribute to our criminal justice system’s direction. More importantly, it is necessary to devise strategies to create diversity in criminal activities and the criminal justice system.
References
Hutchings, M., Holden, J., Holden, T., & Windsor, C. (2019). Michael Walter Stringfellow (1931–2019). Neutron News, 30(4), 15–15. https://doi.org/10.1080/10448632.2019.1695508
Sabol, W., Rosich, K., Mallik, K., Kirk, D., & Dubin, G. (2022). The author(s) shown below used Federal funds provided by the U.S. Department of Justice and prepared the following final report: Document Title: Influences of Truth-in-Sentencing Reforms on Changes in States’ Sentencing Practices and Prison Populations The Influences of Truth-in-Sentencing Reforms on Changes in States’ Sentencing Practices and Prison Populations. https://www.ojp.gov/pdffiles1/nij/grants/195161.pdf
Singh, D. (2022). The Causes of Police Corruption and Working towards Prevention in Conflict-Stricken States. Laws, 11(5), 69. https://doi.org/10.3390/laws11050069
UNODC. (2019). Crime Prevention & Criminal Justice Module 7 Key Issues: 2- Justifying punishment in the community. Unodc.org. https://www.unodc.org/e4j/en/crime-prevention-criminal-justice/module-7/key-issues/2–justifying-punishment-in-the-community.html
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