Rehabilitation

Abstract

Rehabilitation is a central goal of the correctional system. This goal rests on the assumption that individuals can be treated and desist from crime. Rehabilitation was a central feature of corrections in the first half of the 20th century. The favorability of rehabilitation programming declined in the 1970s and 1980s but has regained favor in recent years. Rehabilitation includes a broad array of programs, including mental health, substance abuse, and educational services. Specialty programs have also been developed for women, people who have been convicted of sex offenses, and individuals supervised on parole. Rehabilitation has also been introduced in the court system through the creation of specialized courts (see Oxford Bibliographies in Criminology articles such as “Drug Courts” and “Mental Health Courts”). The following literature summarizes the prominent works in this area and provides sources of reliable data on a range of treatment and rehabilitation programs.