Summary
Summary of "Do We Want Prisons To Punish, Or To Rehabilitate?" by Matt Terzi
Matt Terzi begins his article “Do We Want Prisons To Punish, Or To Rehabilitate?” by stating that the treatment of convicted prisoners is a matter of debate in the US. He argues that, in the present, prisons are a form of punishment and not a path to rehabilitating offenders. There are limited resources allocated to rehabilitation programs and this is probably one of the reasons why most former convicts return to prison within five years of their release.
Terzi then exemplifies how programs designed to help convicts, such as those offering access to college education, are often criticised and rejected. Those who reject such ideas argue that such programs do not work. In reply, Terzi, gives the example of a prison in Norway which is f...