The Role of Criminal Justice in Preventing Recidivism

Recidivism is the disposition of those who have been convicted to revert to crime after being convicted and it has become a thorn in the flesh of criminal justice systems across the globe and Bangladesh is not an exception. When the person is put under probation or a prison release, he or she tends to go back to crime because of socio-economic reasons, absence of a rehabilitation program or support to reintegrate. Recidivism is a problem in such countries as Bangladesh, where prison system is commonly overpopulated and underfunded such that it is not only a threat to criminal justice system, but also to social stability in general. Recidivism needs to be dealt with in a multi-faceted strategy that extends beyond punishment and must deal with rehabilitation, education, social support, and reintegration.

The initial move towards learning about the effect of criminal justice in deterring recidivism is by acknowledging the factors underlying the impetus of returning to crime. These causes have very strong ties in poverty, illiteracy, unemployment, mental health problems, drug abuse, and family instability. In Bangladesh, where most people are poor and where the economic and social infrastructure is not usually sufficient, several members of the criminal justice system are trapped in the crime cycle that is caused by the socio-economic pressures. Unless such individuals are intervened with, there is high likelihood of them reoffending once they get out of prison. Therefore, one of the main factors in the role of criminal justice system in preventing recidivism is to counter these root causes.

Bangladesh faces a high level of poverty and unemployment as the key driver of crime. Since people are poor and cannot access regular jobs, they can be involved in criminal activities to survive. As an illustration, in the villages where farming may not earn a sustainable living, people may have to thieve or engage in criminal acts to earn a living. This is particularly the case in the capital cities where the informal jobs in the fields of construction, transport, or retail might not be financially secure enough. To a great number of people, imprisonment does not help in transforming such situations. In the absence of education, vocational training, and social programs, they have been released out of prison with no resources and capabilities to integrate into society, which increases their risk of returning to crime. The criminal justice system to such an extent can be instrumental in rehabilitation programs.

The prevention of recidivism revolves around rehabilitation. As in most developing nations, the criminal justice system in Bangladesh, in the past, lays more emphasis on punishment as opposed to rehabilitation. The prison system in Bangladesh is commonly over-crowded and they do not have sufficient resources to support as well as they should have the programs to transform. In the absence of vocational training, education and counseling, people are not provided with the means to integrate into society effectively. In order to minimize recidivism, the criminal justice system in Bangladesh should start prioritizing rehabilitative approaches, which will attempt to confront the factors leading to criminal conduct instead of subjecting the offender to punishment.

Bangladesh needs a rehabilitative system of criminal justice that aims at providing education and vocational training to the prisoners. Such programs would equip incarcerated persons with the means to obtain stable and lawful jobs after release that they are less prone to recidivism. Mental health services, addiction treatment, and anger management programs would alleviate psychological problems, which cause criminality in addition to educational and vocational programs. Drug abuse amongst criminals is also very common and unless the offender receives adequate treatment, he or she might not be able to remain clean after release hence more likely to commit another crime. The criminal justice system can also offer the necessary support to people so that they can successfully reintegrate into society by offering a full rehabilitative package of services.

Along with the in-prison rehabilitation, community-based programs also may be crucial in lowering recidivism. Such programs may incorporate halfway houses, job placement and community reintegration programs that offer support and framework to individuals released off prison. It has been found out that such programs greatly reduce the recidivism rates because they equip individuals with the required support mechanisms and assist them to fit in the society. In Bangladesh, traditional social safety nets are either weak or lacking, and thus, such community based programs can become a lifeline to people who attempt to restart their lives when released after imprisonment. Social services such as health, housing, employment placement can assist the individuals to re-integrate into the society and not to revert to their criminal ways.

The other important aspect to curb recidivism is the enhancement of the probation and parole system. In most nations, such as Bangladesh, the systems of probation and paroles are not developed, and most people coming out of prisons are subjected to no or limited supervision and neither support. The people who are released out of prison without proper supervision or monitoring might not be able to abide by the conditions of their release or get involved in crime again. An example of how probation and parole systems can be strengthened to prevent recidivism is through strengthening them with well trained officers who are in a position to offer parole supervision, support and resources to the parole. Probation officers can assist in referring the released people into jobs, counseling and community programs which enhances their reintegration chance. Besides supervision, officers also can become their guides and mentors, assisting people in life life after incarceration.

Besides, the role of family and social support networks in the prevention of recidivism is also to be discussed. Family is also an important factor in the reintegration of an individual back to the society following a prison term. Close family support can help people to be emotionally and financially stable so that they can be able to reintegrate their lives. Nevertheless, a good number of people have been incarcerated have broken or dysfunctional families that make them more vulnerable to recidivism. The criminal justice system should collaborate with social services that will offer family counseling services, parenting courses, and reintegrating offenders with family life. It is possible to strengthen these social support networks, preventing the reappearance of offenders in the ways of crime and providing long-term stability.

Another effective method of recidivism prevention is the restorative justice. Restorative justice emphasizes on healing the damage to crimes instead of merely penalizing the perpetrator. This is a process that entails communication between the offender, the victim and the community where the offender is able to correct his/her deeds and reconcile. Restorative justice has also been found to decrease the rate of recidivism since it makes offenders acknowledge the consequences of their offenses on victims and the society. Restorative justice programs may offer a substitute method of handling minor crimes and those that are not violent in Bangladesh, as they can offer an avenue through which offenders can be rehabilitated and chances of committing a similar crime are reduced.

One of the most important points of any attempt to avoid recidivism is the presence of social attitudes and perception of the offender. In Bangladesh, as in most other nations, people who have served their time in jail are usually stigmatized and discriminated on rejoining society. This stigma may cause them to struggle with securing a job, housing, and reentering their communities. This social exclusion might lead the ex-offenders to re-enter the criminal life since they might become alienated or desperate. The community awareness campaigns and public education are necessary to change the story of ex-offenders and provide second chances. Reinforcement of an inclusionary and enabling society can enhance the probability of successful reintegration to a great extent.

Lastly, sentencing reform is a fundamental part of recidivism prevention. In most developing nations such as Bangladesh, the default form of punishment is a long prison term even to non violent offenders. Though imprisonment might be required in case of serious offenses, prison terms of the minor offenses are likely to lead to increased recidivism rates due to the congestion of prisons as well as the failure to treat the root causes of the crime. Other sentencing alternatives like community service, restorative justice, and diversion programs of non-violent offenders can be used to mitigate the negative impact of prison and give offenders the chance to be rehabilitated. Sentencing reform is also the assurance that people can be punished in a way that fits the crime committed and that an orientation towards rehabilitation is used and not the punishment in itself.

Finally, the issue of recidivism prevention is a complex phenomenon that demands a change in the attitude of the criminal justice system. Although punitive regimes have long been relevant, a more restorative and rehabilitative regime is needed to decrease recidivism and the re-entry of offenders into society. In Bangladesh, prevention of recidivism can be achieved by reversing the factors that may cause crime, through rehabilitation and reintegration programs, which include poverty, illiteracy, and substance abuse among others. Probation and parole systems should be strengthened, post release support should be offered, and restorative justice should also be encouraged which can also reduce recidivism rates. The Bangladesh criminal justice system has a chance to stop the cycle of recidivism, by preventing underlying social problems and altering community attitudes towards criminals, and help to create a safer, less biased society.