A prison sentence is supposed to serve as a form of behavioural correction for the offender
MIRPURKHAS: A prison sentence as a punishment for a crime is supposed to serve as a form of behavioural correction for the offender. The time spent in lock-up is meant to inculcate feelings of remorse for the crimes committed, while also rehabilitating the prisoner to shape him as a better person. Many countries have designed their prison systems accordingly. They rehabilitate the offender by teaching them various vocational skills, socialisation skills, and also impart knowledge in order for the offender’s time to be utilised well. This is aimed at helping the offender adjust into society after he completes his jail sentence and also to find a job later on so that he may not return to crime. However, our prison system does not serve either of these purposes and offenders are rarely given any such opportunity to improve themselves and seek better avenues when they are free and are still treated as criminals. They rarely secure jobs and often return to a criminal life because of which we have not seen a decrease in the crime rate through the years.
Lachhman Das
Published in The Express Tribune, April 3rd, 2019.
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