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I start my arguments by considering the most likely effect that incarceration within a penal institution can have upon a criminal mind. It is important that you understand that I am not including the more serious forms of crime, such as murder or other acts involving interference with the body etc. This article is written with the lesser degree of crime in mind, theft etc.

Society says "OK so you've been a bad person, so we will lock you up out of reach from the innocent members of the population". We might as well say "OK you've been a bad person, we will send you to one of our criminal universities, then, when you are released back into the community you will be able to offend more effectively next time".

When a person is released after serving their sentence, how many employers will be lining up to help the ex offender with offers of employment? The choices for the time-served offender are in the main limited to life on social support, or a potentially more profitable life of crime, using their improved skills gained from the environment of the penal institution.

On the positive side of imprisonment, a time served person could well be in an ideal position to advise people of security matters. The negative here is, who is going to give these people such an opportunity, to enter their home and have the ability to survey security weaknesses, and the whereabouts of any valuables that the householder owns?

In summing up the effects and practicalities of using the penal institution. Society has grave problems in dealing with the time-served offender, these problems by far outweigh the problems of dealing with possible, as yet non-convicted offender, even though the ex-criminal is a known entity. There is no way in which one can prepare effectively for the unknown, but when faced with the known' defined structures can be employed to ensure security matters are not compromised?

The rehabilitation of offender's method is an entirely different scenario. The intention with this method is to condition an offender in a positive manner to respect the effect that crime has on its victim, and to assist the offender with securing gainful employment, theoretically eliminating the need for further criminal activities. Some rehabilitation programs invite the offender and their victim to meet face to face' so that the offender can appreciate the human side to the artifacts that were stolen, and the victim can see the face behind the criminal activity, which may possibly assist the victim to put the incident to rest within their mind.

Fortunately, most human beings are conditioned not to commit offenses against others, although we all have the ability to offend. Perhaps it is just knowing this that keeps us firmly on track'.

Reasons for offending vary from needs such as, maintaining a supply of drugs to survival itself. However there is one drug, which cannot be purchased, that is adrenaline, this can only be obtained through having an exciting personal experience. An experience such as being in someone else's property and taking something can give a good shot of adrenaline.

Perhaps one day, genetic engineering will develop into an everyday, cost effective solution to eliminating crime altogether, then the society of the future will be of the opinion that we are barbaric in our remedial methods of dealing with offenders. Just as we now see the act of smacking our naughty children as a barbaric act.

Learn more about this author, Keen Johns.
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