The Two Specific Functions in Relation to Criminal offenders in the Us Correctional System

The two specific functions in relation to criminal offenders in the US correctional system

Unit 9 Final Project/Paper

September 27, 2013

In the United States Correctional system they can serve two specific functions in relation to criminal offenders. The two functions are punishing rehabilitating the offenders. The definition of punishing an offender is making the offender pay for their crimes through different courses. The definition of rehabilitating an offender is to prepare them for success in the world and help with reentry into society.

In the Unites States of America the correctional system punishes offenders in many different ways and look over the different factors. The US correctional system punishes offenders based on the type of crime, how much of the crime and to what or who the crime involved or it was against. The criminal punishment has changed enormously from the 1700's to the present day. In the 1700's the punishments were often cruel and torturous. The punishments that were used in the correctional system were flogging, Mutilation, branding, public humiliation, workhouses and exile. Flogging is also known as whipping or caning. This punishment is used to beat the offender with a whip or rod strictly on the offenders back. Mutilation is a punishment that would be used for a crime for example a burglar who stole jewelry; their punishment would be mutilation which is in this case a loss of a hand or fingers. The lex talionis (the law of retaliation) is like the saying "An eye of an eye". Branding is a punishment that was also used in the past which was the punishment of receiving a mark that was intended to leave a scar of a symbol or pattern into the skin of a living human. Public humiliation was used as a punishment with the focus to humiliation the offender in front of the public by making the offender do ridiculous acts and requests. The works houses were used as a punishment as well and during this punishment the offender was relocated to a work house, there they work have to work for food and accommodations. In these houses it was a demand and a requirement that the offender is to work. Exile is a punishment that originated in Australia. When an offender was to commit a crime and they were sentenced to exile, they were sent to Australia known as the prison island. These prisoners were left with little supplies and soon began to cultivate the island and become shepherds. Now in the 19th century and present day the punishment is way different then in the earlier days.

Now the punishments that are given to offenders are jails, prisons, halfway houses, group homes, probation or parole, and death penalty. First, once the offender is arrested they are taken to jail and then can be in there for up to eighteen months and then if needed to they will be moved to prison. In prison an offender can be there for a little over a year to life. Once the offender has make progress they put on or even start with probation or parole and/or put in a halfway house or group housing.

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