Running head: Social Policy Within Criminal Justice: A Swinging Pendulum � PAGE �1� Social Policy Within Criminal Justice: A Swinging Pendulum � PAGE �2�
Social Policy Within Criminal Justice: A Swinging Pendulum
Abstract
The explosion in the population of our prison system in the last 40 years negatively impacts our nation financially and psychologically. It puts the safety of future generations in severe jeopardy as well. Social policy and legislative actions have controlled the course of the criminal justice system and has had both positive and negative outcomes. The conflict of punishment vs. rehabilitation is one that has been of primary concern ever since the early days of social work. The dominance of one over the other is the direct result of public perceptions and fear of crime and swings back and forth like a pendulum. Even while one approach may rule the order of the day, the other is always present and patiently waiting it's return to prominence.
English: Yearly U.S. spending. Direct expenditure ...
Adult Criminal Justice System
English: Huntsville Unit, Huntsville, TX Español:...The social work profession is poised to significantly influence the outcome of which ideology ultimately prevails. Advocating for reform is the most important role of applying this influence. The profession is also positioned to bring forth change to the environmental factors that foster criminal activity. These factors include but are not limited to poverty, homelessness and unemployment. It will take passionate involvement of not only the social work profession but also the educators of social work to make the goal of reform a reality.
Harsh Reality of United States Correctional System
America's correctional system is vast. In 2010, there were 3,365 prisons and jails in the United States. To put this in perspective, the amount of accredited 4 year colleges in America during this period numbered only 2719 (www.nces.ed.gov). Upon review of the prisoner population in our country there appears to...