Penology and Rehabilitation - Vocabulary Flashcards

Vocabulary flashcards covering key terms from the Penology lecture notes.

Penology

Branch of criminology dealing with punishment for crimes, control and prevention through punishment; also called Penal Science; derived from the Latin poena meaning pain.

Penal Management

Practice of managing and controlling places of confinement such as jails or prisons.

Correction

Division of the criminal justice system focused on custody, supervision, rehabilitation of offenders and the treatment of those who are convicted.

Correction as Process

The reorientation of an offender to prevent relapse, emphasizing reform rather than punitive action.

Correction Administration

Systematic management of jails, prisons, and related institutions concerned with custody, treatment, and rehabilitation.

Correction and the Criminal Justice System

The correction component of the CJ system, working alongside law enforcement, prosecution, and courts to prevent crime and reform offenders.

Pillars of the Criminal Justice System

The five core components: Law enforcement (Police), Prosecution, Courts, Correction, and Community.

Law Enforcement Pillar (Police)

The police as the body responsible for enforcing laws and maintaining public order.

Prosecution Pillar

The prosecutorial authority responsible for charging and prosecuting offenders.

Court Pillar

Judicial system responsible for adjudicating cases and issuing judgments and sentences.

Correction Pillar

The part of the CJ system responsible for custody, treatment, and rehabilitation of offenders.

Community Pillar

Community-based services and support that contribute to crime prevention and reintegration.

Correction as Weakest Pillar

Viewed as the weakest pillar due to limited deterrence and reform outcomes, evidenced by rising inmate numbers.

Fourth Pillar

Correction is the fourth pillar, activated after guilt is established and punishment is imposed; involves probation, parole, and rehabilitation options.

Institutional Correction

Rehabilitation of offenders while they are inside jail or prison.

Non-Institutional Correction

Correction within the community, including probation and community-based programs.

Punishment

A redress that the state inflicts on an offender, typically involving pain or suffering.

Penalty

Suffering inflicted by the state for transgressing the law; a form of punishment.

Correction Reforms Aims 1

Provide judges with more options such as probation, day fines, community treatment centers, pre-trial release, and other alternatives to imprisonment.

Correction Reforms Aims 2

Improve prison conditions including decongestion, better housing, medical, educational, and vocational services.

Correction Reforms Aims 3

Create an integrated correctional system with a unified philosophy, standard policies, and efficient service delivery.

Rehabilitation (WHO Definition)

Interventions designed to optimize functioning and reduce disability, enabling independence and participation in daily life; essential for universal health coverage.

Person Deprived of Liberty (PDL)

A detainee, inmate, or person under confinement; state duty to promote welfare, reintegration, and rehabilitation.

Nelson Mandela Rules

UN Standard Minimum Rules for Treatment of Prisoners; protect rights of persons deprived of liberty and emphasize dignity, health care, and humane treatment.

Habilitate

From Neo-Latin habilitare; to train or educate; re habilitate means to re-train and re-educate; replacement of prisoner with PDL under ICCPR rules.

ICCPR Article 10

All persons deprived of liberty shall be treated humanely; accused separated from convicted; juveniles separated; penitentiary aim reformation and rehabilitation.

Mandela Rule 1

All prisoners shall be treated with inherent dignity and in a manner that protects them from torture and ill-treatment.

Mandela Rule 2

Rules applied impartially with no discrimination; respect for religious beliefs and needs of vulnerable prisoners.

Mandela Rule 3

Imprisonment should not aggravate suffering beyond necessity; deprivation should be justified by discipline and safety.

Mandela Rule 4

Imprisonment aims to protect society and reduce recidivism; include education, training, and rehabilitation.

Mandela Rule 5

Prison life should mirror liberty as much as possible; ensure access and accommodations for prisoners with disabilities.

Retribution

Punishment proportionate to the seriousness of the crime, often tied to the offender's moral culpability.

Incapacitation

Reducing crime by removing the offender's ability to commit crimes, typically through imprisonment or other restraints.

Deterrence (Specific)

Deterrence aimed at preventing a particular offender from reoffending.

Deterrence (General)

Deterrence aimed at discouraging the general public from committing crimes.

Deterrence (Marginal)

Assessment of how different punishments influence either specific or general deterrence.

Deterrence (Partial)

Punishments that deter in part, such as cases where harm is limited, not all offenses are deterred.

Restoration/Restorative Justice

Offender makes amends to victims and the community; emphasizes dialogue, accountability, and repairing harm.

Anti-Recidivism (Rehabilitation)

Rehabilitation aimed at reducing the likelihood of re-offending by altering the offender's dispositions.

Harm-Reduction (Rehabilitation)

Rehabilitation focusing on reducing harmful conduct and promoting safer behavior even if deterrence is limited.

Therapy (Rehabilitation)

Rehabilitation aiming to cure or mitigate mental deficits contributing to offending through clinical treatment.

Moral Improvement (Rehabilitation)

Rehabilitation focused on morally improving the offender and promoting better social conduct.

Restoration (Rehabilitation)

Rehabilitation aiming to restore social and moral relationships and standing in the community.

Reformation and Rehabilitation of PDL

Programs to restore self-respect and responsibility, preparing a PDL for reintegration into society.

Beccaria

Cesare Beccaria, Enlightenment criminologist who argued punishment should be rational, humane, and proportionate to harm; promoted deterrence through certainty and promptness.

On Crimes and Punishments

Beccaria’s influential work advocating proportional punishment and rational criminal justice reform.