Effects of Imprisonment: Positive and Negative Aspects

Running head: CRIMINAL LAW
Criminal Law
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author Note

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Introduction
The concept of imprisonment of social control has long been a topic of debate in
history. Amid the nineteenth century, confinement was considered to be one of the most
highly used means or the tools of the social control in regards to the form of the punishments.
Based on the punishing the wronged individual of the society with the infliction of the
suffering of their body, the scenario of the imprisonment in the current structure of the globe
is somewhat different. In the present days, the detention no longer intends towards acute
forms of the corporal punishments but instigate the method through three of the significant
distinct areas including the sentence, the rehabilitation and the deterrence (World Economic
Forum 2019). The effects of the imprisonment are numerous as in not only confined in the
factor of only emotional or psychological aspects. The pain of the confinement in prison
tends to affect the prisoners in all the various ways. These include both positive and the
negative aspects of the factor of the imprisonment in the context of the values and the rules of
the society and the culture of the country. Throughout the globe, there exist different
categories and patterns of imprisonment. This essay aims to critically examine and evaluate
both the positive and the negative aspects of the confinement in the context of Australia
taking all the comparative study with that of the data from the global practises of
imprisonment. The essay will include the explanation of the relevant Victorian legislation
including the mental health act and the correction act in the lights of the detention.
Discussion
The concept of the prison was initially originated and designed for allowing the
prisoners to rediscover the prisoners and their conscience towards better voicing themselves
via spiritual conversation. But later it was discovered that in the current decade and as per the

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current practices, the imprisonment had become a form of torture. This has caused many of
the prisoners to have some of the adverse psychological impacts like delusions,
claustrophobia, depression, dissatisfaction with their life, stressful feelings of panic, instances
of madness, denial nightmares and the lack of getting proper sleep, phobias , criminal activity
, substance abuses and some of the forms of the behaviour related to self-destruction (Jane
Lee, Nino Bucci, Adam Cooper 2019). Among the negative aspects of the imprisonment, the
four significant impacts that have been noted by the researchers and the psychologist in the
prison if Australia includes the following. These are the feeling related to guilt, specifically
among the men, the sense of shame of not being able to defend themselves and their
inadequacies of masculinity, the suicidal tendencies in respect to the fear of the regular
victimisation or the chances of giving some of the significant contracted diseases and lastly
the fear of developing and becoming homosexual.
According to the researchers, in the country of Australia, some of the significant
findings as per the aspects of the imprisonment includes the following. These are losing of
the respect of the family members of the prisoners, challenges regarding the finances in case
of the detention of the parents, the adverse effects or the impacts of the children and their
wellbeing for their upcoming future (Corrections Victoria - Corrections, Prisons and Parole
Victoria 2019).
Despite all the adverse effects of the imprisonment on the prisoners and their families
in front of the society and the community, there lies some of the significant positive factors of
the aspects of the detention (Woodhead 2015). These include the welfare of the society from
the criminals, the proper justice for the victims of crimes who had been affected by the
criminal, the maintenance of peace in the community and the prohibition of crimes and
conflicts in the country. Apart from the positive effects on the society and the state there
furthermore lies some of the positive aspects in regards to the individual who have been

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imprisoned. As per the research study, one of the most positive and practical approaches of
imprisonment is the intention towards the rehabilitation of the prisoners in the jail. The
psychological effects furthermore include the process for copying up the attributes, the
beliefs and the challenges for everyday life (Tammy Mills 2019). The introduction of the
provision of in prison psychiatrists has been one of the decisive factors in the prison since it
has been initiating help to the imprisoned individuals to help them deal with the mental and
the psychological disorder of the issues and the challenges of the prisoners (Davidson et al.
2016). Furthermore, factors for sharpening their nature, behaviour and the opportunity for
education within the confinement of the imprisonment are some of the significant factors that
contribute to the positive factors that contributes towards the promotion and chance of better
opportunity for the success of the prisoners helping them to become the law abiding citizens
of the country henceforth.
Legislation
Imprisonment and its concept include the scenario of the removal of the rights of the
person from their freedom for a set of period depending on the tenure and the rate of the
crime (Bonta and Andrews 2016). Though the removal of the rights of freedom of the
prisoners does not implement zero rights in case of imprisonment. In the country of Australia,
the rights of the prisoners are being subjected to some parts of the violation of the
fundamental rights of the prisoners that should not be the case as per the UDHR and the
principles enshrined in the ICCPR (Australia | World Prison Brief 2019). This particular
section will highlight the instances of the Victorian Legislation for the rights of the prisoners
which are some of the essential factors highlighting the reasons that the prisoners should
receive during their time of the imprisonment.