Importance of Providing Additional Support to the Prisoners, Prison Research Paper

Importance of Providing Additional Support to the Prisoners, Prison Management - Research Paper Example The rate of crime has increased drastically over the years and in the absence of a comprehensive professional and continuous learning and development program, that seeks to enhance the lives of the citizens as a whole, curbing crime and ensuring a safe neighborhood is inconceivable. Statistics reveal that approximately two-thirds of the prisons in England and Wales are stuffed with inmates well beyond their actual capacity. According to the Howard League for Penal Reform, approximately 52, 500 prisoners are stuffed in jails which are overcrowded, similarly, in HMP Preston, 661 prisoners are forced to live in a jail which has a capacity of holding 356 inmates, the worst case by far. (BBC News, 2009). Such staggering statistics call for immediate reformative measures which involve proactive policies to keep people out of jails. This, however, can be achieved only through the adoption and implementation of a wide-ranging program that focuses on providing adequate training to those in ch arge, i.e., the prison officers who are entrusted with the responsibility of providing security, supervising, offering training as well as rehabilitating the offenders through motivation and encouragement. Preventing prisoners from reoffending is one of the key objectives of any criminal justice system. Although punishing the offenders for their crimes, is the most widely accepted tools of justice, punishment alone cannot and does not guarantee a safe and healthy society. In order to create a harmonious environment and safeguard the interests of the general public, it must be ensured that the offenders abstain from indulging in any criminal activities.