Human beings have the greatest ability to use their minds and the knowledge they have gained from life’s experiences to do great things for a noble cause. However, some people have their minds inclined to do evil and break the law due to drug abuse or mental illness. Some people have taken it as a way of earning money for survival. The society established ways of dealing with these groups of people through the implementation of the rule of law to ensure they account for all their actions. This essay aims at outlining the past criminal issues and how to plan for the future of these criminals.
A criminal is any person who violates the set of rules that govern the behavior and conduct of a society in a given jurisdictional territory. A law is a regulation that is to be followed as a guideline to behavior (Schmalleger 22). Given the fact that criminals get their penalties due to the offenses they committed, the society perceives them as evil and unfit to live and associate with other members. For many years their rights have been violated and they have been subjected to unwarranted suffering that has demeaned their worth in society. However, it should be noted that these criminals are people who deserve respect for their rights (Fuller 123).
Being a prisoner does not mean that all of an individual’s rights are retained including the right to have basic needs like proper food, good shelters, timely medical care and proper clothing. Many criminals serving short sentences have died even before completion of these sentences due to negligence and withdrawal of provision of basic needs (Bohm 123). The criminal justice system should ensure the sanctity of life is observed and criminals behind bars are accorded their rights including conjugal rights for married people, entertainment, education for those who were learning or are interested and freedom to worship.
Secondly, the criminal justice system should always ensure that all criminals serving various sentences in prisons are rightfully convicted beyond any reasonable doubt. It is very painful for an innocent person to be convicted of a crime the person did not do (Schmalleger 78). The presumption of innocence until proven guilty should be respected and maintained throughout the court hearing processes and nobody should be forced to admit responsibility for a crime he or she never committed. There should be properly trained criminal investigators to handle any suspects and ensure they extract the necessary information relevant to the case being handled (Fuller 431).
Furthermore, criminals serving any terms in jail are meant to change their behavior once they are out of the system. This means that even though they are convicted in order to pay for the crimes they committed, they are supposed to correct their bad behavior. The rehabilitation processes should be relevant to the abilities, training and careers of the convicts (Bohm 256). Most rehabilitation centers have specific programs for all criminals that are very irrelevant and misuse the talents, skills and abilities of some highly trained people. Lastly, criminals with special cases like children, the very old people, pregnant women and disabled people are normally treated badly by prison officers and sometimes end up with mental and physical complications.
There should be proper punishments for all who commit crimes regardless of their positions in society and this should follow a proper justice system that respects the rights and freedoms of the individuals involved regardless of their crimes.
Works Cited
Bohm, Robert M. Introduction to Criminal Justice. New York: McGraw Hill, 2009. Print.
Fuller, John R. Criminal Justice: Mainstream and Crosscurrents. New Jersey: Prentice Hall, 2009. Print.
Schmalleger, Frank. Criminal Justice: A Brief Introduction. New Jersey: Prentice Hall, 2011. Print.