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Abstract

This dissertation intends to establish the historical origins of punishment and prison and underlines how these elements have evolved to the modern-day Criminal Justice System whilst reflecting on its connection to penal politics. A literature review was conducted, aimed at identifying the progression within the penal system regarding the legitimacy of punishment and offender rehabilitation, taking a specific interest in how this has been accomplished and the consequences of penal politics on prison officer practices. A variety of research was analysed, which predominantly indicated evidence-based practices through methods of relational work and correctional relationships as best practice to support desistance, whilst further exploring several practices and regimes that caused a regression within the system and thus offender rehabilitation. The effectiveness of incarceration has been evaluated throughout as a central focus of this dissertation and how this method impacted offenders’ quality of life. Indeed, it has been determined that effective and relevant research was rejected in favour of electoral votes in the form of a punitive penal populism. Therefore, concluding that incarceration serves a purpose for penal politics but at a detriment to the offender, simultaneously that rehabilitation would prove more successful if correctional relationships were central in penal regimes and paramount within prison officer practice.

Course: Crime and Criminology - BSc (Hons) - C2113P

Date Deposited: 2024-11-07

URI/permalink: https://library.port.ac.uk/dissert/dis14496.html