Why Criminals Commit Further Crimes When Released From Prison?

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Many criminals commit further crimes as soon as they are released from prison. What do you think are the causes of this? What possible solutions can you suggest?

Criminals when released from prison suffer the even greater shock of social barriers including educational, financial, and in terms of relations with friends and family. The image of a criminal even after serving the jail term is something that remains tarnished in the eyes of his social circles making him vulnerable to committing further crimes. Also, the conditions of prisons in various countries disturb the overall psychology of the inmates. To get away with the criminal mindset after the incarceration period among convicts it is inevitable to overhaul the state of prisons. Moreover, the proper focus should be on the rehabilitation of the criminals during and after their jail term so that they become a better human being to productively participate in social well-being.

To start with the reasons why criminals further got engaged in untoward activities the first and foremost is the torture either physical or mental meted out to criminals during their jail term. Also, people have to wait for even longer period of time for hearing in the courts, especially in third-world countries where the shortage of judges and policing infrastructure lead to unnecessary delays on flimsy grounds. This contributes to developing a kind of hatred against others in the minds of convicts.

Another very pertinent reason is the lack of employment opportunities among the convicts. They usually don’t get welcomed by employees for jobs. Financial constraints possibly incite them to commit further crimes like robbery and burglary. Due to being in confinement for considerable duration, the criminals lag behind others in availing financial opportunities and developing skills to penetrate in the job market. This too makes them at the receiving end of so many atrocities in society. Results can be awful descending them once again into the dirt nexus of crime and terror.

Besides, prisoners who have been sentenced for a long period should be put to work which requires skill so that they could be able to earn their livelihood in society as respectable citizens after completing their sentence.

Last but not least is the lack of emotional support for these people in society makes them feel unfit to adjust as an ordinary person and the discriminatory behavior of friends and relatives can incite them to violence one way or the other.

To get away with these serious drawbacks redrawing a criminal towards committing further crimes various steps can be taken. Firstly, incarceration can be replaced with heavy fines, community services, and unpaid work. Secondly, out-of-court settlements for ordinary crimes can be put in place. Thirdly, prisoners who have been sentenced for a long period can be equipped with various skills so that they might be able to make ends meet after their jail term.

Moreover, counseling of criminals on medical grounds must also be done on the pattern of the Dutch system. In 2021, the incarceration rate in the Netherlands was 53.9 per 100,000 inhabitants which is one of the lowest in the world. The justice system in the Dutch rel more on rehabilitation rather than being punitive or otherwise offensive. This makes criminals’ survival and readjustment into society somewhat easier. In this regard, prisoners with certain mental conditions are sent to high-security hospitals for treatment. The regular psychological assessment of these offenders helps the judiciary to decide about their acquittal or further treatment at healthcare centers.

Conclusion

To conclude, it can be inferred that criminals tend to involve in criminal activities due to disparate treatment meted out to them during their jail term. If prisons are overhauled on humanitarian grounds and convicts get somewhat better treatment then the hopes are high to bell the cat.