Seriously.

Some of the outcome is self-driven. But some of it is driven by treatment.

Although people think of criminals as calculating, the young and the newbies are more reactive and less thoughtful about planning, outcome, and contingencies.

The very fact that so many of the kids I deal with have a hard time keeping schedules and committing to a certain set of activities speaks volumes to me.

Any form of social "discipline" that doesn't teach a young offender how to maintain personal discipline, and doesn't give him or her a reason to do so beyond "I'll hit you if you don't" (or throw you in juvie, where other people will hit you), will not help keep the kid from repeating.

And isn't that supposed to be the object of the criminal justice system? I hope I don't have it wrong, because the other alternative is merely to make sure the jobs of the prison guards are secure.

Regards--
Mary Anne